Robotic systems for rapid ultrasonic surface insection

ABSTRACT

Robotic systems for rapid ultrasonic surface inspection are described. An example system may have an inspection robot to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface. The robot may have a payload with a first and a second ultrasonic (UT) phased array, and a rastering device that executes a reciprocating motion of the payload. The system may have an inspection controller with a positioning circuit to provide an inspection position command, an inspection circuit to provide a rastering position command and an interrogation command. The robot is responsive to the inspection position command to move to an inspection position, and the rastering device is responsive to the rastering position command to move the payload through at least a portion of a range of reciprocating motion. The UT phased arrays are responsive to the interrogation command to perform an inspection on three axes of inspection.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/726,336 (GROB-0008-U01) filed Apr. 21, 2022,entitled “SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR ULTRA-SONIC INSPECTION OFA SURFACE.”

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/726,336 (GROB-0008-U01) claimspriority to the following U.S. Provisional Applications: Appl. No.63/178,497 (GROB-0008-P01) filed Apr. 22, 2021, entitled “MULTI-PHASEDUT” INSPECTION″; and Appl. No.: 63/254,833 (GROB-0008-P02) filed Oct.12, 2021, entitled “WET H2S SERVICE AND A NEW TOOL FOR INSPECTINGDAMAGE.”

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/726,336 (GROB-0008-U01) alsoincorporates by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/863,594(GROB-0007-U02) filed Apr. 30, 2020, entitled “SYSTEM, METHOD, ANDAPPARATUS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSPECTION SCHEME FOR ANINSPECTION ROBOT.”

Each of the foregoing applications is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to robotic inspection and treatment ofindustrial surfaces.

SUMMARY

Previously known inspection and treatment systems for industrialsurfaces suffer from a number of drawbacks. Industrial surfaces areoften required to be inspected to determine whether a pipe wall, tanksurface, or other industrial surface feature has suffered fromcorrosion, degradation, loss of a coating, damage, wall thinning orwear, or other undesirable aspects. Industrial surfaces are oftenpresent within a hazardous location—for example in an environment withheavy operating equipment, operating at high temperatures, in a confinedenvironment, at a high elevation, in the presence of high voltageelectricity, in the presence of toxic or noxious gases, in the presenceof corrosive liquids, and/or in the presence of operating equipment thatis dangerous to personnel. Accordingly, presently known systems requirethat a system be shutdown, that a system be operated at a reducedcapacity, that stringent safety procedures be followed (e.g.,lockout/tagout, confined space entry procedures, harnessing, etc.),and/or that personnel are exposed to hazards even if proper proceduresare followed. Additionally, the inconvenience, hazards, and/or confinedspaces of personnel entry into inspection areas can result ininspections that are incomplete, of low resolution, that lack systematiccoverage of the inspected area, and/or that are prone to human error andjudgement in determining whether an area has been properly inspected.

Previously known inspection systems for industrial surfaces further havedifficulty in detecting corrosion or damage of certain types, forexample cracks or corrosion that have a parallel orientation to asensing direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of an inspection robot consistent withcertain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of an inspection surface.

FIG. 3 is a schematic depiction of an inspection robot positioned on aninspection surface.

FIG. 4 is a schematic depiction of a location on an inspection surface.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a payload arrangement.

FIG. 6 is another schematic diagram of a payload arrangement.

FIG. 7 is another schematic diagram of a payload arrangement.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a sled.

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of a sled.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cutaway side view of a sled.

FIG. 11 is a schematic bottom view of a sled.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a sled having separable top and bottomportions.

FIG. 13 is a schematic cutaway side view of a sled.

FIG. 14 is a schematic exploded view of a sled with a sensor.

FIG. 15 is a schematic, partially exploded, partially cutaway view of asled with a sensor.

FIG. 16 is a schematic depiction of an acoustic cone.

FIG. 17 is a schematic view of couplant lines to a number of sleds.

FIG. 18 depicts a schematic of an example system including a basestation and an inspection robot.

FIG. 19 depicts an example bottom surface of the center module.

FIG. 20 depicts an exploded view of a dovetail payload rail mountassembly.

FIG. 21 depicts a payload with sensor carriages and an inspectioncamera.

FIG. 22 depicts an example side view of a payload and inspection camera.

FIGS. 23-24 depict details of an example inspection camera.

FIGS. 25-26 depict clamped and un-clamped views of a sensor clamp.

FIG. 27 depicts an exploded view of a sensor carriage clamp.

FIG. 28 depicts a sensor carriage having a multi-sensor sled assembly.

FIGS. 29-30 depict views of two different sized multi-sensor sledassemblies.

FIG. 31 depicts a front view of a multi-sensor sled assembly.

FIG. 32 depicts a perspective view looking down on an exploded view of asensor housing.

FIG. 33 depicts a perspective view looking up on an exploded view of thebottom of a sensor housing.

FIG. 34 depicts a front view cross-section of a sensor housing andsurface contact relative to an inspection surface.

FIG. 35 depicts a side view cross-section of a sensor housing.

FIG. 36 depicts an exploded view of a cross-section of a sensor housing.

FIG. 37 depicts a sensor carriage with a universal single-sensor sledassembly.

FIG. 38 depicts a universal single-sensor sled assembly that may beutilized with a single-sensor sled or a multi-sensor sled assembly.

FIGS. 39 and 40 depict bottom views of a single sensor sled assemblywith stability wings extended and contracted.

FIG. 41 depicts an embodiment of an inspection robot with a tether.

FIG. 42 depicts components of a tether.

FIG. 43 is a schematic diagram of a base station for a system formanaging couplant for an inspection robot.

FIG. 44 is another schematic diagram of a base station for a system formanaging couplant for an inspection robot.

FIG. 45 is a schematic diagram of a payload for a system for managingcouplant for an inspection robot.

FIG. 46 is a schematic diagram of an output couplant interface for asystem for managing couplant for an inspection robot.

FIG. 47 is a schematic diagram of an acoustic sensor for a system formanaging couplant for an inspection robot.

FIG. 48 is a flow chart depicting a method for managing couplant for aninspection robot.

FIG. 49 depicts a payload for an inspection robot.

FIG. 50 depicts an example payload having an arm and two sleds mountedthereto.

FIG. 51 is a schematic view of a sled consistent with certainembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 52 is a schematic depiction of a payload consistent with certainembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 53 depicts an internal view of certain components of the centermodule.

FIG. 54 depicts a side cutaway view of an example couplant routingmechanism for a sled.

FIG. 55 depicts a partial cutaway bottom view of the example couplantrouting mechanism for a sled.

FIG. 56 is a schematic, top down depiction of welds, and connectedpieces.

FIG. 57 is a cross-section depiction of a weld and surrounding plateswith Heat-Affected Zones on either side of the weld.

FIG. 58 is an example display output.

FIG. 59 is an example system for performing single pass, multi-directioninspection.

FIG. 60 depicts an example inspection surface.

FIG. 61 is a schematic depiction of a portion of a payload.

FIG. 62 is a schematic depiction of a portion of a payload.

FIG. 63 is a schematic depiction a UT phased array having a number of UTelements.

FIG. 64 is a schematic depiction of an end view of a UT phased array.

FIG. 65 is a schematic depiction of a UT phased array with symmetricallycurved elements.

FIG. 66 is a schematic depiction of a UT phased array withasymmetrically curved elements.

FIG. 67 is a schematic depiction of an inspection controller.

FIG. 68 is a schematic depiction of an inspection system including aweld inspection sensor.

FIG. 69 is a schematic depiction of an inspection robot with twopayloads.

FIG. 70 is a schematic depiction of an inspection robot with multiplepayloads on an inspection surface.

FIG. 71 is a schematic depiction of a first view of example inspectionangles.

FIG. 72 is a schematic depiction of a second view of example inspectionangles.

FIG. 73 is a schematic depiction of a third view of example inspectionangles.

FIG. 74. is a schematic depiction of an inspection robot with twopayloads and a weld inspection sensor on an inspection surface.

FIG. 75. is a schematic depiction of an inspection robot with twopayloads and a weld inspection sensor on an inspection surface.

FIG. 76 is a schematic depiction of a payload.

FIG. 77 is a schematic depiction of a payload.

FIG. 78 is a schematic depiction of an inspection robot having forwardand rearward payloads.

FIG. 79 is a schematic depiction of alternating inspection regions.

FIG. 80 is a block diagram illustrating an example inspection system onan inspection surface.

FIG. 81 is a front view illustrating an example payload.

FIG. 82 is a perspective view illustrating the example payload of FIG.81.

FIG. 83 is a flowchart illustrating an example inspection process.

FIG. 84 is a flowchart illustrating an example payload data collectionprocess.

FIG. 85 is a flowchart illustrating another example inspection process.

FIG. 86 is a top view illustrating an example inspection robot on aninspection surface including a weld.

FIG. 87 is a flowchart illustrating an example process for inspecting aweld.

FIG. 88 is a flowchart illustrating an example process for moving apayload in a direction of inspection.

FIG. 89 is a flowchart illustrating another example process forinspecting a weld.

FIG. 90 is a flowchart illustrating still another example process forinspecting a weld.

FIG. 91 is a front perspective view illustrating an example inspectionelement of FIG. 95.

FIG. 92 is a side perspective view illustrating an example inspectionelement of FIG. 95.

FIG. 93 is a side perspective view illustrating an example inspectionelement of FIG. 95.

FIG. 94 is a perspective view illustrating an example inspection device.

FIG. 95 is a block diagram illustrating an example inspection system.

FIG. 96 is a block diagram illustrating an example inspection device onan inspection surface.

FIG. 97 is a flowchart illustrating another example process forinspecting a weld.

FIG. 98 is a flowchart illustrating an example step in a process forinspecting a weld.

FIG. 99 is a flowchart illustrating an example step in a process forinspecting a weld.

FIG. 100 is an upper right perspective view of an inspection element.

FIG. 101 is side view of an inspection element.

FIG. 102 is a top down view of an inspection element.

FIG. 103 is a bottom view of an inspection element.

FIG. 104 is a front view of an inspection element.

FIG. 105 is a perspective view of an inspection element.

FIG. 106 is a side view of an inspection element on flat inspectionsurface.

FIG. 107 is a side view of a raised inspection element.

FIG. 108 is a side view of an inspection element on curved inspectionsurface.

FIG. 109 is a side view of an inspection element traversing an obstacle.

FIG. 110 is a perspective view of a payload.

FIG. 111 is a perspective view of a portion of an example sensor holder.

FIG. 112 is a perspective view of a portion of an example sensor holder.

FIG. 113 is a perspective view of a portion of an example sensor holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to a system developed for traversing,climbing, or otherwise traveling over walls (curved or flat), or otherindustrial surfaces. Industrial surfaces, as described herein, includeany tank, pipe, housing, or other surface utilized in an industrialenvironment, including at least heating and cooling pipes, conveyancepipes or conduits, and tanks, reactors, mixers, or containers. Incertain embodiments, an industrial surface is ferromagnetic, for exampleincluding iron, steel, nickel, cobalt, and alloys thereof. In certainembodiments, an industrial surface is not ferromagnetic.

Certain descriptions herein include operations to inspect a surface, aninspection robot or inspection device, or other descriptions in thecontext of performing an inspection. Inspections, as utilized herein,should be understood broadly. Without limiting any other disclosures orembodiments herein, inspection operations herein include operating oneor more sensors in relation to an inspected surface, electromagneticradiation inspection of a surface (e.g., operating a camera) whether inthe visible spectrum or otherwise (e.g., infrared, UV, X-Ray, gamma ray,etc.), high-resolution inspection of the surface itself (e.g., a laserprofiler, caliper, etc.), performing a repair operation on a surface,performing a cleaning operation on a surface, and/or marking a surfacefor a later operation (e.g., for further inspection, for repair, and/orfor later analysis). Inspection operations include operations for apayload carrying a sensor or an array of sensors (e.g. on sensor sleds)for measuring characteristics of a surface being traversed such asthickness of the surface, curvature of the surface, ultrasound (orultra-sonic) measurements to test the integrity of the surface and/orthe thickness of the material forming the surface, heat transfer, heatprofile/mapping, profiles or mapping any other parameters, the presenceof rust or other corrosion, surface defects or pitting, the presence oforganic matter or mineral deposits on the surface, weld quality and thelike. Sensors may include magnetic induction sensors, acoustic sensors,laser sensors, LIDAR, a variety of image sensors, and the like. Theinspection sled may carry a sensor for measuring characteristics nearthe surface being traversed such as emission sensors to test for gasleaks, air quality monitoring, radioactivity, the presence of liquids,electro-magnetic interference, visual data of the surface beingtraversed such as uniformity, reflectance, status of coatings such asepoxy coatings, wall thickness values or patterns, wear patterns, andthe like. The term inspection sled may indicate one or more tools forrepairing, welding, cleaning, applying a treatment or coating thesurface being treated. Treatments and coatings may include rustproofing, sealing, painting, application of a coating, and the like.Cleaning and repairing may include removing debris, sealing leaks,patching cracks, and the like. The term inspection sled, sensor sled,and sled may be used interchangeably throughout the present disclosure.

In certain embodiments, for clarity of description, a sensor isdescribed in certain contexts throughout the present disclosure, but itis understood explicitly that one or more tools for repairing, cleaning,and/or applying a treatment or coating to the surface being treated arelikewise contemplated herein wherever a sensor is referenced. In certainembodiments, where a sensor provides a detected value (e.g., inspectiondata or the like), a sensor rather than a tool may be contemplated,and/or a tool providing a feedback value (e.g., application pressure,application amount, nozzle open time, orientation, etc.) may becontemplated as a sensor in such contexts.

Inspections are conducted with a robotic system 100 (e.g., an inspectionrobot, a robotic vehicle, etc.) which may utilize sensor sleds 1 and asled array system 2 which enables accurate, self-aligning, andself-stabilizing contact with a surface (not shown) while alsoovercoming physical obstacles and maneuvering at varying or constantspeeds. In certain embodiments, mobile contact of the robotic system 100with the surface includes a magnetic wheel 3. In certain embodiments, asled array system 2 is referenced herein as a payload 2—wherein apayload 2 is an arrangement of sleds 1 with sensor mounted thereon, andwherein, in certain embodiments, an entire payload 2 can be changed outas a unit. The utilization of payloads 2, in certain embodiments, allowsfor a pre-configured sensor array that provides for rapidre-configuration by swapping out the entire payload 2. In certainembodiments, sleds 1 and/or specific sensors on sleds 1, are changeablewithin a payload 2 to reconfigure the sensor array.

An example sensor sled 1 includes, without limitation, one or moresensors mounted thereon such that the sensor(s) is operationallycouplable to an inspection surface in contact with a bottom surface ofthe corresponding one of the sleds. For example, the sled 1 may includea chamber or mounting structure, with a hole at the bottom of the sled 1such that the sensor can maintain line-of-sight and/or acoustic couplingwith the inspection surface. The sled 1 as described throughout thepresent disclosure is mounted on and/or operationally coupled to theinspection robot 100 such that the sensor maintains a specifiedalignment to the inspection surface 500—for example a perpendiculararrangement to the inspection surface, or any other specified angle. Incertain embodiments, a sensor mounted on a sled 1 may have aline-of-sight or other detecting arrangement to the inspection surfacethat is not through the sled 1—for example a sensor may be mounted at afront or rear of a sled 1, mounted on top of a sled 1 (e.g., having aview of the inspection surface that is forward, behind, to a side,and/or oblique to the sled 1). It will be seen that, regardless of thesensing orientation of the sensor to the inspection surface, maintenanceof the sled 1 orientation to the inspection surface will support moreconsistent detection of the inspection surface by the sensor, and/orsensed values (e.g., inspection data) that is more consistentlycomparable over the inspection surface and/or that has a meaningfulposition relationship compared to position information determined forthe sled 1 or inspection robot 100. In certain embodiments, a sensor maybe mounted on the inspection robot 100 and/or a payload 2—for example acamera mounted on the inspection robot 100.

The present disclosure allows for gathering of structural informationfrom a physical structure. Example physical structures includeindustrial structures such as boilers, pipelines, tanks, ferromagneticstructures, and other structures. An example robotic system 100 isconfigured for climbing the outside of tube walls.

As described in greater detail below, in certain embodiments, thedisclosure provides a system that is capable of integrating input fromsensors and sensing technology that may be placed on a robotic vehicle.The robotic vehicle is capable of multi-directional movement on avariety of surfaces, including flat walls, curved surfaces, ceilings,and/or floors (e.g., a tank bottom, a storage tank floor, and/or arecovery boiler floor). The ability of the robotic vehicle to operate inthis way provides unique access especially to traditionally inaccessibleor dangerous places, thus permitting the robotic vehicle to gatherinformation about the structure it is climbing on.

The robotic system 100 (e.g., an inspection robot, a robotic vehicle,and/or supporting devices such as external computing devices, couplantor fluid reservoirs and delivery systems, etc.) in FIG. 1 includes thesled 1 mounted on a payload 2 to provide for an array of sensors havingselectable contact (e.g., orientation, down force, sensor spacing fromthe surface, etc.) with an inspected surface. The payload 2 includesmounting posts mounted to a main body or housing 102 of the roboticsystem 100. The payload 2 thereby provides a convenient mountingposition for a number of sleds 1, allowing for multiple sensors to bepositioned for inspection in a single traverse of the inspected surface.The number and distance of the sleds 1 on the payload 2 are readilyadjustable—for example by sliding the sled mounts on the payload 2 toadjust spacing. Referencing FIG. 51, an example sled 1 has an aperture12, for example to provide for couplant communication (e.g., anacoustically and/or optically continuous path of couplant) between thesensor mounted on the sled 1 and a surface to be inspected, to providefor line-of-sight availability between the sensor and the surface, orthe like.

Referencing FIG. 52, an example robotic system 100 includes the sled 1held by an arm 20 that is connected to the payload 2 (e.g., a sensorarray or sensor suite). An example system includes the sled 1 coupled tothe arm 20 at a pivot point 17, allowing the sensor sled to rotateand/or tilt. On top of the arm 20, an example payload 2 includes abiasing member 21 (e.g., a torsion spring) with another pivot point 16,which provides for a selectable down-force of the arm 20 to the surfacebeing inspected, and for an additional degree of freedom in sled 1movement to ensure the sled 1 orients in a desired manner to thesurface. In certain embodiments, down-force provides for at least apartial seal between the sensor sled 1 and surface to reduce or controlcouplant loss (e.g., where couplant loss is an amount of couplantconsumed that is beyond what is required for operations), controldistance between the sensor and the surface, and/or to ensureorientation of the sensor relative to the surface. Additionally oralternatively, the arm 20 can lift in the presence of an obstacle, whiletraversing between surfaces, or the like, and return to the desiredposition after the maneuver is completed. In certain embodiments, anadditional pivot 18 couples the arm 20 to the payload 2, allowing for anadditional rolling motion. In certain embodiments, pivots 16, 17, 18provide for three degrees of freedom on arm 20 motion, allowing the arm20 to be responsive to almost any obstacle or surface shape forinspection operations. In certain embodiments, various features of therobotic system 100, including one or more pivots 16, 17, 18, co-operateto provide self-alignment of the sled 1 (and thus, the sensor mounted onthe sled) to the surface. In certain embodiments, the sled 1 self-alignsto a curved surface and/or to a surface having variability in thesurface shape.

In certain embodiments, the system is also able to collect informationat multiple locations at once. This may be accomplished through the useof a sled array system. Modular in design, the sled array system allowsfor mounting sensor mounts, like the sleds, in fixed positions to ensurethorough coverage over varying contours. Furthermore, the sled arraysystem allows for adjustment in spacing between sensors, adjustments ofsled angle, and traveling over obstacles. In certain embodiments, thesled array system was designed to allow for multiplicity, allowingsensors to be added to or removed from the design, including changes inthe type, quantity, and/or physical sensing arrangement of sensors. Thesensor sleds that may be employed within the context of the presentinvention may house different sensors for diverse modalities useful forinspection of a structure. These sensor sleds are able to stabilize,align, travel over obstacles, and control, reduce, or optimize couplantdelivery which allows for improved sensor feedback, reduced couplantloss, reduced post-inspection clean-up, reduced down-time due to sensorre-runs or bad data, and/or faster return to service for inspectedequipment.

There may be advantages to maintaining a sled with associated sensors ortools in contact and/or in a fixed orientation relative to the surfacebeing traversed even when that surface is contoured, includes physicalfeatures, obstacles, and the like. In embodiments, there may be sledassemblies which are self-aligning to accommodate variabilities in thesurface being traversed (e.g., an inspection surface) while maintainingthe bottom surface of the sled (and/or a sensor or tool, e.g. where thesensor or tool protrudes through or is flush with a bottom surface ofthe sled) in contact with the inspection surface and the sensor or toolin a fixed orientation relative to the inspection surface. In anembodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 there may be a number of payloads 2, eachpayload 2 including a sled 1 positioned between a pair of sled arms 20,with each side exterior of the sled 1 attached to one end of each of thesled arms 20 at a pivot point 17 so that the sled 1 is able to rotatearound an axis that would run between the pivot points 17 on each sideof the sled 1. As described throughout the present disclosure, thepayload 2 may include one or more inspection sleds 1 being pushed aheadof the payload 2, pulled behind the payload 2, or both. The other end ofeach sled arm 20 is attached to an inspection sled mount 14 with a pivotconnection 16 which allows the sled arms to rotate around an axisrunning through the inspection sled mount 14 between the two pivotconnections 16. Accordingly, each pair of sled arms 20 can raise orlower independently from other sled arms 20, and with the correspondingsled 1. The inspection sled mount 14 attaches to the payload 2, forexample by mounting on shaft 19. The inspection sled mount 14 mayconnect to the payload shaft 19 with a pivot 18 connection which allowsthe sled 1 and corresponding arms 20 to rotate from side to side in anarc around a perpendicular to the shaft 19. Together the up and down andside to side arc, where present, allow two degrees of rotational freedomto the sled arms. Pivot 18 connection is illustrated as a gimbal mountin the example of FIG. 4, although any type of connection providing arotational degree of freedom for movement is contemplated herein, aswell as embodiments that do not include a rotational degree of freedomfor movement. The gimbal mount 18 allows the sled 1 and associated arms20 to rotate to accommodate side to side variability in the surfacebeing traversed or obstacles on one side of the sled 1. The pivot points17 between the sled arms 20 and the sled 1 allow the sled 1 to rotate(e.g., tilt in the direction of movement of the inspection robot 100) toconform to the surface being traversed and accommodate to variations orobstacles in the surface being traversed. Pivot point 17, together withthe rotational freedom of the arms, provides the sled three degrees ofrotational freedom relative to the inspection surface. The ability toconform to the surface being traversed facilitated the maintenance of aperpendicular interface between the sensor and the surface allowing forimproved interaction between the sled 1 and the inspection surface.Improved interaction may include ensuring that the sensor isoperationally couplable to the inspection surface.

Within the inspection sled mount 14 there may be a biasing member (e.g.,torsion spring 21) which provides a down force to the sled 1 andcorresponding arms 20. In the example, the down force is selectable bychanging the torsion spring, and/or by adjusting the configuration ofthe torsion spring (e.g., confining or rotating the torsion spring toincrease or decrease the down force). Analogous operations or structuresto adjust the down force for other biasing members (e.g., a cylindricalspring, actuator for active down force control, etc.) are contemplatedherein.

In certain embodiments, the inspection robot 100 includes a tether (notshown) to provide power, couplant or other fluids, and/or communicationlinks to the robot 100. It has been demonstrated that a tether tosupport at least 200 vertical feet of climbing can be created, capableof couplant delivery to multiple ultra-sonic sensors, sufficient powerfor the robot, and sufficient communication for real-time processing ata computing device remote from the robot. Certain aspects of thedisclosure herein, such as but not limited to utilizing couplantconservation features such as sled downforce configurations, theacoustic cone, and water as a couplant, support an extended length oftether. In certain embodiments, multiple ultra-sonic sensors can beprovided with sufficient couplant through a ⅛″ couplant delivery line,and/or through a ¼″ couplant delivery line to the inspection robot 100,with ⅛″ final delivery lines to individual sensors. While the inspectionrobot 100 is described as receiving power, couplant, and communicationsthrough a tether, any or all of these, or other aspects utilized by theinspection robot 100 (e.g., paint, marking fluid, cleaning fluid, repairsolutions, etc.) may be provided through a tether or provided in situ onthe inspection robot 100. For example, the inspection robot 100 mayutilize batteries, a fuel cell, and/or capacitors to provide power; acouplant reservoir and/or other fluid reservoir on the robot to providefluids utilized during inspection operations, and/or wirelesscommunication of any type for communications, and/or store data in amemory location on the robot for utilization after an inspectionoperation or a portion of an inspection operation.

In certain embodiments, maintaining sleds 1 (and sensors or toolsmounted thereupon) in contact and/or selectively oriented (e.g.,perpendicular) to a surface being traversed provides for: reduced noise,reduced lost-data periods, fewer false positives, and/or improvedquality of sensing; and/or improved efficacy of tools associated withthe sled (less time to complete a repair, cleaning, or markingoperation; lower utilization of associated fluids therewith; improvedconfidence of a successful repair, cleaning, or marking operation,etc.). In certain embodiments, maintaining sleds 1 in contacts and/orselectively oriented to the surface being traversed provides for reducedlosses of couplant during inspection operations.

In certain embodiments, the combination of the pivot points 16, 17, 18)and torsion spring 21 act together to position the sled 1 perpendicularto the surface being traversed. The biasing force of the spring 21 mayact to extend the sled arms 20 downward and away from the payload shaft19 and inspection sled mount 14, pushing the sled 1 toward theinspection surface. The torsion spring 21 may be passive, applying aconstant downward pressure, or the torsion spring 21 or other biasingmember may be active, allowing the downward pressure to be varied. In anillustrative and non-limiting example, an active torsion spring 21 mightbe responsive to a command to relax the spring tension, reducingdownward pressure and/or to actively pull the sled 1 up, when the sled 1encounters an obstacle, allowing the sled 1 to move over the obstaclemore easily. The active torsion spring 21 may then be responsive to acommand to restore tension, increasing downward pressure once theobstacle is cleared to maintain the close contact between the sled 1 andthe surface. The use of an active spring may enable changing the angleof a sensor or tool relative to the surface being traversed during atraverse. Design considerations with respect to the surfaces beinginspected may be used to design the active control system. If the spring21 is designed to fail closed, the result would be similar to a passivespring and the sled 1 would be pushed toward the surface beinginspected. If the spring 21 is designed to fail open, the result wouldbe increased obstacle clearance capabilities. In embodiments, spring 21may be a combination of passive and active biasing members.

The downward pressure applied by the torsion spring 21 may besupplemented by a spring within the sled 1 further pushing a sensor ortool toward the surface. The downward pressure may be supplemented byone or more magnets in/on the sled 1 pulling the sled 1 toward thesurface being traversed. The one or more magnets may be passive magnetsthat are constantly pulling the sled 1 toward the surface beingtraversed, facilitating a constant distance between the sled 1 and thesurface. The one or magnets may be active magnets where the magnet fieldstrength is controlled based on sensed orientation and/or distance ofthe sled 1 relative to the inspection surface. In an illustrative andnon-limiting example, as the sled 1 lifts up from the surface to clearan obstacle and it starts to roll, the strength of the magnet may beincreased to correct the orientation of the sled 1 and draw it backtoward the surface.

The connection between each sled 1 and the sled arms 20 may constitute asimple pin or other quick release connect/disconnect attachment. Thequick release connection at the pivot points 17 may facilitate attachingand detaching sleds 1 enabling a user to easily change the type ofinspection sled attached, swapping sensors, types of sensors, tools, andthe like.

In embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 8, there may be multiple attachmentor pivot point accommodations 9 available on the sled 1 for connectingthe sled arms 20. The location of the pivot point accommodations 9 onthe sled 1 may be selected to accommodate conflicting goals such as sled1 stability and clearance of surface obstacles. Positioning the pivotpoint accommodations 9 behind the center of sled in the longitudinaldirection of travel may facilitate clearing obstacles on the surfacebeing traversed. Positioning the pivot point accommodation 9 forward ofthe center may make it more difficult for the sled 1 to invert or flipto a position where it cannot return to a proper inspection operationposition. It may be desirable to alter the connection location of thesled arms 20 to the pivot point accommodations 9 (thereby defining thepivot point 17) depending on the direction of travel. The location ofthe pivot points 17 on the sled 1 may be selected to accommodateconflicting goals such as sensor positioning relative to the surface andavoiding excessive wear on the bottom of the sled. In certainembodiments, where multiple pivot point accommodations 9 are available,pivot point 17 selection can occur before an inspection operation,and/or be selectable during an inspection operation (e.g., arms 20having an actuator to engage a selected one of the pivot points 9, suchas extending pegs or other actuated elements, thereby selecting thepivot point 17).

In embodiments, the degree of rotation allowed by the pivot points 17may be adjustable. This may be done using mechanical means such as aphysical pin or lock. In embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9, the connectionbetween the sled 1 and the sled arms 20 may include a spring 1702 thatbiases the pivot points 17 to tend to pivot in one direction or another.The spring 1702 may be passive, with the selection of the spring basedon the desired strength of the bias, and the installation of the spring1702 may be such as to preferentially push the front or the back of thesled 1 down. In embodiments, the spring 1702 may be active and thestrength and preferential pivot may be varied based on direction oftravel, presence of obstacles, desired pivoting responsiveness of thesled 1 to the presence of an obstacle or variation in the inspectionsurface, and the like. In certain embodiments, opposing springs orbiasing members may be utilized to bias the sled 1 back to a selectedposition (e.g., neutral/flat on the surface, tilted forward, tiltedrearward, etc.). Where the sled 1 is biased in a given direction (e.g.,forward or rearward), the sled 1 may nevertheless operate in a neutralposition during inspection operations, for example due to the down forcefrom the arm 20 on the sled 1.

In the example of FIG. 110, the two pivot points 17 provide additionalclearance for the sled 1 to clear obstacles. In certain embodiments,springs 21 may be selectively locked—for example before inspectionoperations and/or actively controlled during inspection operations.Additionally or alternatively, selection of pivot position, spring forceand/or ease of pivoting at each pivot may be selectively controlled—forexample before inspection operations and/or actively controlled duringinspection operations (e.g., using a controller). The utilization ofsprings 21 is a non-limiting example of simultaneous multiple pivotpoints, and leaf springs, electromagnets, torsion springs, or otherflexible pivot enabling structures are contemplated herein. The springtension or pivot control may be selected based on the uniformity of thesurface to be traversed. The spring tension may be varied between thefront and rear pivot points depending on the direction of travel of thesled 1. In an illustrative and non-limiting example, the rear spring(relative to the direction of travel) might be locked and the frontspring active when traveling forward to better enable obstacleaccommodation. When direction of travel is reversed, the active andlocked springs 21 may be reversed such that what was the rear spring 21may now be active and what was the front spring 21 may now be locked,again to accommodate obstacles encountered in the new direction oftravel.

In embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10-12, an example sled 1 includes anupper portion 2402 and a replaceable lower portion 2404 having a bottomsurface. In some embodiments, the lower portion 2404 may be designed toallow the bottom surface and shape to be changed to accommodate thespecific surface to be traversed without having to disturb or change theupper portion 2402. Accordingly, where sensors or tools engage the upperportion 2402, the lower portion 2404 can be rapidly changed out toconfigure the sled 1 to the inspection surface, without disturbingsensor connections and/or coupling to the arms 20. The lower portion2404 may additionally or alternatively be configured to accommodate asacrificial layer 2012, including potentially with a recess 2306. Anexample sled 1 includes a lower portion 2404 designed to be easilyreplaced by lining up the upper portion 2402 and the lower portion 2404at a pivot point 2406, and then rotating the pieces to align the twoportions. In certain embodiments, the sensor, installation sleeve, conetip, or other portion protruding through aperture 12 forms the pivotpoint 2406. One or more slots 2408 and key 2410 interfaces or the likemay hold the two portions together.

The ability to quickly swap the lower portion 2404 may facilitatechanging the bottom surface of the sled 1 to improve or optimize thebottom surface of the sled 1 for the surface to be traversed. The lowerportion may be selected based on bottom surface shape, ramp angle, orramp total height value. The lower portion may be selected from amultiplicity of pre-configured replaceable lower portions in response toobserved parameters of the inspection surface after arrival to aninspection site. Additionally or alternatively, the lower portion 2404may include a simple composition, such as a wholly integrated part of asingle material, and/or may be manufactured on-site (e.g., in a 3-Dprinting operation) such as for a replacement part and/or in response toobserved parameters of the inspection surface after arrival to aninspection site. Improvement and/or optimization may include: providinga low friction material as the bottom surface to facilitate the sled 1gliding over the surface being traversed, having a hardened bottomsurface of the sled 1 if the surface to be traversed is abrasive,producing the lower portion 2404 as a wear material or low-costreplacement part, and the like. The replacement lower portion 2404 mayallow for quick replacement of the bottom surface when there is wear ordamage on the bottom surface of the sled 1. Additionally oralternatively, a user may alter a shape/curvature of the bottom of thesled, a slope or length of a ramp, the number of ramps, and the like.This may allow a user to swap out the lower portion 2404 of anindividual sled 1 to change a sensor to a similar sensor having adifferent sensitivity or range, to change the type of sensor, manipulatea distance between the sensor and the inspection surface, replace afailed sensor, and the like. This may allow a user to swap out the lowerportion 2404 of an individual sled 1 depending upon the surfacecurvature of the inspection surface, and/or to swap out the lowerportion 2404 of an individual sled 1 to change between various sensorsand/or tools.

In embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 13-15, a sled 1 may have a chamber2624 sized to accommodate a sensor 2202, and/or into which a sensor 2202may be inserted. The chamber 2624 may have chamfers 2628 on at least oneside of the chamber to facilitate ease of insertion and proper alignmentof the sensor 2202 in the chamber 2624. An example sled 1 includes aholding clamp 2630 that accommodates the sensor 2202 to passtherethrough, and is attached to the sled 1 by a mechanical device 2632such as a screw or the like. An example sled 1 includes stops 2634 atthe bottom of the chamber 2624, for example to ensure a fixed distancebetween the sensor 2202 and bottom surface of the sled and/or theinspection surface, and/or to ensure a specific orientation of thesensor 2202 to the bottom surface of the sled and/or the inspectionsurface.

Referencing FIG. 15, an example sled 1 includes a sensor installationsleeve 2704, which may be positioned, at least partially, within thechamber. The example sensor installation sleeve 2704 may be formed froma compliant material such as neoprene, rubber, an elastomeric material,and the like, and in certain embodiments may be an insert into a chamber2624, a wrapper material on the sensor 2202, and/or formed by thesubstrate of the sled 1 itself (e.g., by selecting the size and shape ofthe chamber 2624 and the material of the sled 1 at least in the area ofthe chamber 2624). An example sensor installation sleeve 2704 includesan opening 2 sized to receive a sensor 2202 and/or a tool (e.g.,marking, cleaning, repair, and/or spray tool). In the example of FIG.15, the sensor installation sleeve 2704 flexes to accommodate the sensor2202 as the sensor 2202 is inserted. Additionally or alternatively, asensor installation sleeve 2704 may include a material wrapping thesensor 2202 and slightly oversized for the chamber 2624, where thesensor installation sleeve compresses through the hole into the chamber2624, and expands slightly when released, thereby securing the sensor2202 into the sled 1. In the example of FIG. 15, an installation tab2716 is formed by relief slots 2714. The tab 2716 flexes to engage thesensor 2202, easing the change of the sensor 2202 while securing thesensor 2202 in the correct position once inserted into the sled 1.

It can be seen that a variety of sensor and tool types and sizes may beswapped in and out of a single sled 1 using the same sensor installationsleeve 2704. The opening of the chamber 2624 may include the chamfers2628 to facilitate insertion, release, and positioning of the sensor2202, and/or the tab 2716 to provide additional compliance to facilitateinsertion, release, and positioning of the sensor 2202 and/or toaccommodate varying sizes of sensors 2202. Throughout the presentdisclosure, a sensor 2202 includes any hardware of interest forinserting or coupling to a sled 1, including at least: a sensor, asensor housing or engagement structure, a tool (e.g., a sprayer, marker,fluid jet, etc.), and/or a tool housing or engagement structure.

Referencing FIG. 16, an acoustic cone 2804 is depicted. The acousticcone 2804 includes a sensor interface 2808, for example to couple anacoustic sensor with the cone 2804. The example acoustic cone 2804includes a couplant interface 2814, with a fluid chamber 2818 couplingthe couplant interface 2814 to the cone fluid chamber 2810. In certainembodiments, the cone tip 2820 of the acoustic cone 2804 is kept incontact with the inspection surface, and/or kept at a predetermineddistance from the inspection surface while the acoustic sensor ismounted at the opposite end of the acoustic cone 2804 (e.g., at sensorinterface 2808). The cone tip 2820 may define a couplant exit openingbetween the couplant chamber and the inspection surface. The couplantexit opening may be flush with the bottom surface or extend through thebottom of the sled. Accordingly, a delay line (e.g., acoustic orvibration coupling of a fixed effective length) between the sensor andthe inspection surface is kept at a predetermined distance throughoutinspection operations. Additionally, the acoustic cone 2804 couples tothe sled 1 in a predetermined arrangement, allowing for replacement ofthe sensor, and/or swapping of a sled 1 without having to recalibrateacoustic and/or ultra-sonic measurements. The volume between the sensorand the inspection surface is maintained with couplant, providing aconsistent delay line between the sensor and the inspection surface.Example and non-limiting couplant fluids include alcohol, a dyepenetrant, an oil-based liquid, an ultra-sonic gel, or the like. Anexample couplant fluid includes particle sizes not greater than 1/16 ofan inch. In certain embodiments, the couplant is filtered beforedelivery to the sled 1. In certain embodiments, the couplant includeswater, which is low cost, low viscosity, easy to pump and compatiblewith a variety of pump types, and may provide lower resistance to themovement of the inspection sled over the surface than gels. In certainembodiments, water may be an undesirable couplant, and any type ofcouplant fluid may be provided.

An example acoustic cone 2804 provides a number of features to preventor remove air bubbles in the cone fluid chamber 2810. An exampleacoustic cone 2804 includes entry of the fluid chamber 2818 into avertically upper portion of the cone fluid chamber 2810 (e.g., as theinspection robot 100 is positioned on the inspection surface, and/or inan intended orientation of the inspection robot 100 on the inspectionsurface, which may toward the front of the robot where the robot isascending vertically), which tends to drive air bubbles out of the conefluid chamber 2810. In certain embodiments, the utilization of theacoustic cone 2804, and the ability to minimize sensor coupling andde-coupling events (e.g., a sled can be swapped out without coupling ordecoupling the sensor from the cone) contributes to a reduction in leaksand air bubble formation. In certain embodiments, a controllerperiodically and/or in response to detection of a potential air bubble(e.g., due to an anomalous sensor reading) commands a de-bubblingoperation, for example increasing a flow rate of couplant through thecone 2804. In certain embodiments, the arrangements described throughoutthe present disclosure provide for sufficient couplant delivery to be inthe range of 0.06 to 0.08 gallons per minute using a ⅛″ fluid deliveryline to the cone 2804. In certain embodiments, nominal couplant flow andpressure is sufficient to prevent the formation of air bubbles in theacoustic cone 2804.

As shown in FIG. 17, individual tubing 2902 may be connected to eachcouplant interface 2814. In some embodiments, the individual tubing 2902may be connected directly to a sled 1A, 1B rather than the individualtubing 2902, for example with sled 1A, 1B plumbing permanently coupledto the couplant interface 2814. Two or more individual tubing 2902sections may then be joined together in a tubing junction 2908 with asingle tube 2904 leaving the junction. In this way, a number ofindividual tubes 2902 may be reduced to a single tube 2904 that may beeasily connected/disconnected from the source of the couplant. Incertain embodiments, an entire payload 2 may include a single couplantinterface, for example to the inspection robot 100. The inspection robot100 may include a couplant reservoir and/or a delivery pump thereupon,and/or the inspection robot 100 may be connected to an external couplantsource. In certain embodiments, an entire payload 2 can be changed outwith a single couplant interface change, and without any of the conecouplant interfaces and/or sensor couplant interface being disconnected.In certain embodiments, the integration of the sensor 2202, acousticcone 2804, and cone tip 2820 is designed to maintain a constant distancebetween the surface being measured and the acoustic sensor 2202. Theconstant distance facilitates in the interpretation of the data recordedby the acoustic sensor 2202. In certain embodiments, the distancebetween the surface being measured and the acoustic sensor 2202 may bedescribed as the “delay line.”

Certain embodiments include an apparatus for providing acoustic couplingbetween a carriage (or sled) mounted sensor and an inspection surface.Example and non-limiting structures to provide acoustic coupling betweena carriage mounted sensor and an inspection surface include an acoustic(e.g., an ultra-sonic) sensor mounted on a sled 1, the sled 1 mounted ona payload 2, and the payload 2 coupled to an inspection robot. Anexample apparatus further includes providing the sled 1 with a number ofdegrees of freedom of motion, such that the sled 1 can maintain aselected orientation with the inspection surface—including aperpendicular orientation and/or a selected angle of orientation.Additionally or alternatively, the sled 1 is configured to track thesurface, for example utilizing a shaped bottom of the sled 1 to match ashape of the inspection surface or a portion of the inspection surface,and/or the sled 1 having an orientation such that, when the bottomsurface of the sled 1 is positioned against the inspection surface, thesensor maintains a selected angle with respect to the inspectionsurface.

Certain additional embodiments of an apparatus for providing acousticcoupling between a carriage mounted sensor and an inspection surfaceinclude utilization of a fixed-distance structure that ensures aconsistent distance between the sensor and the inspection surface. Forexample, the sensor may be mounted on a cone, wherein an end of the conetouches the inspection surface and/or is maintained in a fixed positionrelative to the inspection surface, and the sensor mounted on the conethereby is provided at a fixed distance from the inspection surface. Incertain embodiments, the sensor may be mounted on the cone, and the conemounted on the sled 1, such that a change-out of the sled 1 can beperformed to change out the sensor, without engaging or disengaging thesensor from the cone. In certain embodiments, the cone may be configuredsuch that couplant provided to the cone results in a filled couplantchamber between a transducer of the sensor and the inspection surface.In certain additional embodiments, a couplant entry position for thecone is provided at a vertically upper position of the cone, between thecone tip portion and the sensor mounting end, in an orientation of theinspection robot as it is positioned on the surface, such that couplantflow through the cone tends to prevent bubble formation in the acousticpath between the sensor and the inspection surface. In certain furtherembodiments, the couplant flow to the cone is adjustable, and iscapable, for example, to be increased in response to a determinationthat a bubble may have formed within the cone and/or within the acousticpath between the sensor and the inspection surface. In certainembodiments, the sled 1 is capable of being lifted, for example with anactuator that lifts an arm 20, and/or that lifts a payload 2, such thata free fluid path for couplant and attendant bubbles to exit the coneand/or the acoustic path is provided. In certain embodiments, operationsto eliminate bubbles in the cone and/or acoustic path are performedperiodically, episodically (e.g., after a given inspection distance iscompleted, at the beginning of an inspection run, after an inspectionrobot pauses for any reason, etc.), and/or in response to an activedetermination that a bubble may be present in the cone and/or theacoustic path.

An example apparatus provides for low or reduced fluid loss of couplantduring inspection operations. Example and non-limiting structures toprovide for low or reduced fluid loss include providing for a limitedflow path of couplant out of the inspection robot system—for exampleutilizing a cone having a smaller exit couplant cross-sectional areathan a cross-sectional area of a couplant chamber within the cone. Incertain embodiments, an apparatus for low or reduced fluid loss ofcouplant includes structures to provide for a selected down force on asled 1 which the sensor is mounted on, on an arm 20 carrying a sled 1which the sensor is mounted on, and/or on a payload 2 which the sled 1is mounted on. Additionally or alternatively, an apparatus providing forlow or reduced fluid loss of couplant includes a selected down force ona cone providing for couplant connectivity between the sensor and theinspection surface—for example, a leaf spring or other biasing memberwithin the sled 1 providing for a selected down force directly to thecone. In certain embodiments, low or reduced fluid loss includesproviding for an overall fluid flow of between 0.12 to 0.16 gallons perminute to the inspection robot to support at least 10 ultra-sonicsensors. In certain embodiments, low or reduced fluid loss includesproviding for an overall fluid flow of less than 50 feet per minute,less than 100 feet per minute, and less than 200 feet per minute fluidvelocity in a tubing line feeding couplant to the inspection robot. Incertain embodiments, low or reduced fluid loss includes providingsufficient couplant through a ¼″ tubing line to feed couplant to atleast 6, at least 8, at least 10, at least 12, or at least 16ultra-sonic sensors to a vertical height of at least 25 feet, at least50 feet, at least 100 feet, at least 150 feet, or at least 200 feet. Anexample apparatus includes a ¼″ feed line to the inspection robot and/orto the payload 2, and a ⅛″ feed line to individual sleds 1 and/orsensors (or acoustic cones associated with the sensors). In certainembodiments, larger and/or smaller diameter feed and individual fluidlines are provided.

Referencing FIG. 52, an example payload 2 includes selectable spacingbetween sleds 1, for example to provide selectable sensor spacing. Incertain embodiments, spacing between the sensors may be adjusted using alockable translational degree of freedom such as a set screw allowingfor the rapid adjustment of spacing. Additionally or alternatively, anycoupling mechanism between the arm 20 and the payload 2 is contemplatedherein. In certain embodiments, a worm gear or other actuator allows forthe adjustment of sensor spacing by a controller and/or in real timeduring operations of the robotic system 100. In certain embodiments, thepayload 2 includes a shaft 19 whereupon sleds 1 are mounted (e.g., viathe arms 20). In these embodiments, the sled mounts 14 are mounted on ashaft 19. The example of FIG. 52 includes a shaft cap 15 providingstructural support to a number of shafts of the payload 2. In theexample of FIG. 4, two shafts are utilized to mount the payload 2 ontothe housing 102, and one shaft 19 is utilized to mount the arms 20 ontothe payload 2. The arrangement utilizing a payload 2 is a non-limitingexample, that allows multiple sensors and sleds 1 to be configured in aparticular arrangement, and rapidly changed out as a group (e.g.,swapping out a first payload and set of sensors for a second payload andset of sensors, thereby changing an entire sensor arrangement in asingle operation). However, in certain embodiments one or more of thepayload 2, arms 20, and/or sleds 1 may be fixedly coupled to therespective mounting features, and numerous benefits of the presentdisclosure are nevertheless achieved in such embodiments.

In certain embodiments, a robotic system 100 allows for any one or moreof the following adjustments: spacing between sensors (perpendicular tothe direction of inspection motion, and/or axially along the directionof the inspection motion); adjustments of an angle of the sensor to anouter diameter of a tube or pipe; momentary or longer term displacementto traverse obstacles; provision of an arbitrary number and positioningof sensors; etc.

An example inspection robot 100 may utilize downforce capabilities forsensor sleds 1, such as to control proximity and lateral stabilizationof sensors. For instance, an embedded magnet (not shown) positionedwithin the sled 1 may provide passive downforce that increasesstabilization for sensor alignment. In another example, magneticdownforce may be provided through a combination of a passive permanentmagnet and an active electromagnet, providing a default minimum magneticdownforce, but with further increases available through the activeelectromagnet. In embodiments, the electromagnet may be controlled by acircuit where the downforce is set by the operator, controlled by anon-board processor, controlled by a remote processor (e.g., throughwireless communications), and the like, where processor control mayutilize sensor data measurements to determine the downforce setting. Inembodiments, downforce may be provided through suction force, springforce, and the like. In certain embodiments, downforce may be providedby a biasing member, such as a torsion spring or leaf spring, withactive or passive control of the downforce—for example positioning atension or confinement of the spring to control the downforce. Incertain embodiments, the magnet, biasing member, or other downforceadjusting member may adjust the downforce on the entire sled 1, on anentire payload 2, and/or just on the sensor (e.g., the sensor has someflexibility to move within the sled 1, and the downforce adjustment actson the sensor directly).

Referencing FIG. 2, an example system includes a number of pipes 502—forexample vertically arranged pipes such as steam pipes in a power plant,pipes in a cooling tower, exhaust or effluent gas pipes, or the like.The pipes 502 in FIG. 2 are arranged to create a tower having a circularcross-section for ease of description. In certain embodiments, periodicinspection of the pipes is utilized to ensure that pipe degradation iswithin limits, to ensure proper operation of the system, to determinemaintenance and repair schedules, and/or to comply with policies orregulations. In the example of FIG. 2, an inspection surface 500includes the inner portion of the tower, whereby an inspection robot 100traverses the pipes 502 (e.g., vertically, inspecting one or more pipeson each vertical run). An example inspection robot 100 includesconfigurable payloads 2, and may include ultra-sonic sensors (e.g., todetermine wall thickness and/or pipe integrity), magnetic sensors (e.g.,to determine the presence and/or thickness of a coating on a pipe),cameras (e.g., to provide for visual inspection, including in EM rangesoutside of the visual range, temperatures, etc.), composition sensors(e.g., gas chromatography in the area near the pipe, spectral sensing todetect leaks or anomalous operation, etc.), temperature sensing,pressure sensing (ambient and/or specific pressures), vibration sensing,density sensing, etc. The type of sensing performed by the inspectionrobot 100 is not limiting to the present disclosure except wherespecific features are described in relation to specific sensingchallenges and opportunities for those sensed parameters as will beunderstood to one of skill in the art having the benefit of thedisclosures herein.

In certain embodiments, the inspection robot 100 has alternatively oradditionally, payload(s) 2 configured to provide for marking of aspectsof the inspection surface 500 (e.g., a paint sprayer, an invisible or UVink sprayer, and/or a virtual marking device configured to mark theinspection surface 500 in a memory location of a computing device butnot physically), to repair a portion of the inspection surface 500(e.g., apply a coating, provide a welding operation, apply a temperaturetreatment, install a patch, etc.), and/or to provide for a cleaningoperation. Referencing FIG. 3, an example inspection robot 100 isdepicted in position on the inspection surface 500 at a location. In theexample, the inspection robot 100 traverses vertically and is positionedbetween two pipes 502, with payloads 2 configured to clean, sense,treat, and/or mark two adjacent pipes 502 in a single inspection run.The inspection robot 100 in the example includes two payloads 2 at the“front” (ahead of the robot housing in the movement direction) and twopayloads 2 at the “rear” (behind the robot housing in the movementdirection). The inspection robot 100 may include any arrangement ofpayloads 2, including just one or more payloads in front or behind, justone or more payloads off to either or both sides, and combinations ofthese. Additionally or alternatively, the inspection robot 100 may bepositioned on a single pipe, and/or may traverse between positionsduring an inspection operation, for example to inspect selected areas ofthe inspection surface 500 and/or to traverse obstacles which may bepresent.

In certain embodiments, a “front” payload 2 includes sensors configuredto determine properties of the inspection surface, and a “rear” payload2 includes a responsive payload, such as an enhanced sensor, a cleaningdevice such as a sprayer, scrubber, and/or scraper, a marking device,and/or a repair device. The front-back arrangement of payloads 2provides for adjustments, cleaning, repair, and/or marking of theinspection surface 500 in a single run—for example where an anomaly,gouge, weld line, area for repair, previously repaired area, pastinspection area, etc., is sensed by the front payload 2, the anomaly canbe marked, cleaned, repaired, etc. without requiring an additional runof the inspection robot 100 or a later visit by repair personnel. Inanother example, a first calibration of sensors for the front payloadmay be determined to be incorrect (e.g., a front ultra-sonic sensorcalibrated for a particular coating thickness present on the pipes 502)and a rear sensor can include an adjusted calibration to account for thedetected aspect (e.g., the rear sensor calibrated for the observedthickness of the coating). In another example, certain enhanced sensingoperations may be expensive, time consuming, consume more resources(e.g., a gamma ray source, an alternate coupling such as a non-water oroil-based acoustic coupler, require a high energy usage, require greaterprocessing resources, and/or incur usage charges to an inspection clientfor any reason) and the inspection robot 100 can thereby only utilizethe enhanced sensing operations selectively and in response to observedconditions.

Referencing FIG. 4, a location 702 on the inspection surface 500 isidentified for illustration. In certain embodiments, the inspectionrobot 100 includes a controller having a number of circuits structuredto functionally execute operations of the controller. The controller maybe a single device (e.g., a computing device present on the robot 100, acomputing device in communication with the robot 100 during operationsand/or post-processing information communicated after inspectionoperations, etc.) and/or a combination of devices, such as a portion ofthe controller positioned on the robot 100, a portion of the controllerpositioned on a computing device in communication with the robot 100, aportion of the controller positioned on a handheld device (not shown) ofan inspection operator, and/or a portion of the controller 4924 (FIG.18) positioned on a computing device networked with one or more of thepreceding devices. Additionally or alternatively, aspects of thecontroller 4924 may be included on one or more logic circuits, embeddedcontrollers, hardware configured to perform certain aspects of thecontroller operations, one or more sensors, actuators, networkcommunication infrastructure (including wired connections, wirelessconnections, routers, switches, hubs, transmitters, and/or receivers),and/or a tether between the robot 100 and another computing device. Thedescribed aspects of the example controller are non-limiting examples,and any configuration of the robot 100 and devices in communication withthe robot 100 to perform all or selected ones of operations of thecontroller are contemplated herein as aspects of an example controller.

An example controller includes an inspection data circuit thatinterprets inspection data—for example sensed information from sensorsmounted on the payload and determining aspects of the inspection surface500, the status, deployment, and/or control of marking devices, cleaningdevices, and/or repair devices, and/or post-processed information fromany of these such as a wall thickness determined from ultra-sonic data,temperature information determined from imaging data, and the like. Theexample controller further includes a robot positioning circuit thatinterprets position data. An example robot positioning circuitdetermines position data by any available method, including at leasttriangulating (or other positioning methods) from a number of availablewireless devices (e.g., routers available in the area of the inspectionsurface 500, intentionally positioned transmitters/transceivers, etc.),a distance of travel measurement (e.g., a wheel rotation counter whichmay be mechanical, electro-magnetic, visual, etc.; a barometric pressuremeasurement; direct visual determinations such as radar, Lidar, or thelike), a reference measurement (e.g., determined from distance to one ormore reference points); a time-based measurement (e.g., based upon timeand travel speed); and/or a dead reckoning measurement such asintegration of detection movements. In the example of FIG. 2, a positionmeasurement may include a height determination combined with anazimuthal angle measurement and/or a pipe number value such that theinspection surface 500 location is defined thereby. Any coordinatesystem and/or position description system is contemplated herein. Incertain embodiments, the controller includes a processed data circuitthat combines the inspection data with the position data to determineposition-based inspection data. The operations of the processed datacircuit may be performed at any time—for example during operations ofthe inspection robot 100 such that inspection data is stored withposition data, during a post-processing operation which may be completedseparately from the inspection robot 100, and/or which may be performedafter the inspection is completed, and/or which may be commenced whilethe inspection is being performed. In certain embodiments, the linkingof the position data with the inspection data may be performed if thelinked position-inspection data is requested—for example upon a requestby a client for an inspection map. In certain embodiments, portions ofthe inspection data are linked to the position data at a first time, andother portions of the inspection data are linked to the position data ata later time and/or in response to post-processing operations, aninspection map request, or other subsequent event.

The example controller further includes an inspection visualizationcircuit that determines the inspection map in response to the inspectiondata and the position data, for example using post-processed informationfrom the processed data circuit. In a further example, the inspectionvisualization circuit determines the inspection map in response to aninspection visualization request, for example from a client computingdevice. In the example, the client computing device may becommunicatively coupled to the controller over the internet, a network,through the operations of a web application, and the like. In certainembodiments, the client computing device securely logs in to controlaccess to the inspection map, and the inspection visualization circuitmay prevent access to the inspection map, and/or provide only portionsof the inspection map, depending upon the successful login from theclient computing device, the authorizations for a given user of theclient computing device, and the like.

In embodiments, the robotic vehicle may incorporate a number of sensorsdistributed across a number of sensor sleds 1, such as with a singlesensor mounted on a single sensor sled 1, a number of sensors mounted ona single sensor sled 1, a number of sensor sleds 1 arranged in a linearconfiguration perpendicular to the direction of motion (e.g.,side-to-side across the robotic vehicle), arranged in a linearconfiguration along the direction of motion (e.g., multiple sensors on asensor sled 1 or multiple sensor sleds 1 arranged to cover the samesurface location one after the other as the robotic vehicle travels).Additionally or alternatively, a number of sensors may be arranged in atwo-dimensional surface area, such as by providing sensor coverage in adistributed manner horizontally and/or vertically (e.g., in thedirection of travel), including offset sensor positions (e.g., referenceFIG. 6). In certain embodiments, the utilization of payloads 2 withsensor sleds mounted thereon enables rapid configuration of sensorplacement as desired, sleds 1 on a given payload 2 can be furtheradjusted, and/or sensor(s) on a given sled can be changed or configuredas desired.

In certain embodiments, two payloads 2 side-by-side allow for a widehorizontal coverage of sensing for a given travel of the inspectionrobot 100—for example as depicted in FIG. 1. In certain embodiments, apayload 2 is coupled to the inspection robot 100 with a pin or otherquick-disconnect arrangement, allowing for the payload 2 to be removed,to be reconfigured separately from the inspection robot 100, and/or tobe replaced with another payload 2 configured in a desired manner. Thepayload 2 may additionally have a couplant connection to the inspectionrobot 100 (e.g., reference FIG. 17—where a single couplant connectionprovides coupling connectivity to all sleds 1A and 1B) and/or anelectrical connection to the inspection robot 100. Each sled may includea couplant connection conduit where the couplant connection conduit iscoupled to a payload couplant connection at the upstream end and iscoupled to the couplant entry of the cone at the downstream end.Multiple payload couplant connections on a single payload may be coupledtogether to form a single couplant connection between the payload andthe inspection robot. The single couplant connection per payloadfacilitates the changing of the payload without having toconnect/disconnect the couplant line connections at each sled. Thecouplant connection conduit between the payload couplant connection andthe couplant entry of the cone facilitates connecting/disconnecting asled from a payload without having to connect/disconnect the couplantconnection conduit from the couplant entry of the cone. The couplantand/or electrical connections may include power for the sensors asrequired, and/or communication coupling (e.g., a datalink or networkconnection). Additionally or alternatively, sensors may communicatewirelessly to the inspection robot 100 or to another computing device,and/or sensors may store data in a memory associated with the sensor,sled 1, or payload 2, which may be downloaded at a later time. Any otherconnection type required for a payload 2, such as compressed air, paint,cleaning solutions, repair spray solutions, or the like, may similarlybe coupled from the payload 2 to the inspection robot 100.

The horizontal configuration of sleds 1 (and sensors) is selectable toachieve the desired inspection coverage. For example, sleds 1 may bepositioned to provide a sled running on each of a selected number ofpipes of an inspection surface, positioned such that several sleds 1combine on a single pipe of an inspection surface (e.g., providinggreater radial inspection resolution for the pipe), and/or at selectedhorizontal distances from each other (e.g., to provide 1 inchresolution, 2 inch resolution, 3 inch resolution, etc.). In certainembodiments, the degrees of freedom of the sensor sleds 1 (e.g., frompivots 16, 17, 18) allow for distributed sleds 1 to maintain contact andorientation with complex surfaces.

In certain embodiments, sleds 1 are articulable to a desired horizontalposition. For example, quick disconnects may be provided (pins, claims,set screws, etc.) that allow for the sliding of a sled 1 to any desiredlocation on a payload 2, allowing for any desired horizontal positioningof the sleds 1 on the payload 2. Additionally or alternatively, sleds 1may be movable horizontally during inspection operations. For example, aworm gear or other actuator may be coupled to the sled 1 and operable(e.g., by a controller) to position the sled 1 at a desired horizontallocation. In certain embodiments, only certain ones of the sleds 1 aremoveable during inspection operations—for example outer sleds 1 formaneuvering past obstacles. In certain embodiments, all of the sleds 1are moveable during inspection operations—for example to supportarbitrary inspection resolution (e.g., horizontal resolution, and/orvertical resolution), to configure the inspection trajectory of theinspection surface, or for any other reason. In certain embodiments, thepayload 2 is horizontally moveable before or during inspectionoperations. In certain embodiments, an operator or a controllerconfigures the payload 2 and/or sled 1 horizontal positions beforeinspection operations (e.g., before or between inspection runs). Incertain embodiments, an operator or a controller configures the payload2 and/or sled 1 horizontal positions during inspection operations. Incertain embodiments, an operator can configure the payload 2 and/or sled1 horizontal positions remotely, for example communicating through atether or wirelessly to the inspection robot.

The vertical configuration of sleds 1 is selectable to achieve thedesired inspection coverage (e.g., horizontal resolution, verticalresolution, and/or redundancy). For example, referencing FIG. 5,multiple payloads 2 are positioned on a front side of the inspectionrobot 100, with forward or front payloads 2006 and rear payloads 1402.In certain embodiments, a payload 2 may include a forward payload 2006and a rear payload 1402 in a single hardware device (e.g., with a singlemounting position to the inspection robot 100), and/or may beindependent payloads 2 (e.g., with a bracket extending from theinspection robot 100 past the rear payload 1402 for mounting the forwardpayloads 2006). In the example of FIG. 5, the rear payload 1402 andfront payload 2006 include sleds 1 mounted thereupon which are invertical alignment 1302—for example a given sled 1 of the rear payload1402 traverses the same inspection position (or horizontal lane) of acorresponding sled 1 of the forward payload 2006. The utilization ofaligned payloads 2 provides for a number of capabilities for theinspection robot 100, including at least: redundancy of sensing values(e.g., to develop higher confidence in a sensed value); the utilizationof more than one sensing calibration for the sensors (e.g., a frontsensor utilizes a first calibration set, and a rear sensor utilizes asecond calibration set); the adjustment of sensing operations for a rearsensor relative to a forward sensor (e.g., based on the front sensedparameter, a rear sensor can operate at an adjusted range, resolution,sampling rate, or calibration); the utilization of a rear sensor inresponse to a front sensor detected value (e.g., a rear sensor may be ahigh cost sensor—either high power, high computing/processingrequirements, an expensive sensor to operate, etc.) where theutilization of the rear sensor can be conserved until a front sensorindicates that a value of interest is detected; the operation of arepair, marking, cleaning, or other capability rear payload 1402 that isresponsive to the detected values of the forward payload 2006; and/orfor improved vertical resolution of the sensed values (e.g., if thesensor has a given resolution of detection in the vertical direction,the front and rear payloads can be operated out of phase to provide forimproved vertical resolution).

In another example, referencing FIG. 6, multiple payloads 2 arepositioned on the front of the inspection robot 100, with sleds 1mounted on the front payload 2006 and rear payload 1402 that are notaligned (e.g., lane 1304 is not shared between sleds of the frontpayload 2006 and rear payload 1402). The utilization of not alignedpayloads 2 allows for improved resolution in the horizontal directionfor a given number of sleds 1 mounted on each payload 2. In certainembodiments, not aligned payloads may be utilized where the hardwarespace on a payload 2 is not sufficient to conveniently provide asufficient number or spacing of sleds 1 to achieve the desiredhorizontal coverage. In certain embodiments, not aligned payloads may beutilized to limit the number of sleds 1 on a given payload 2, forexample to provide for a reduced flow rate of couplant through a givenpayload-inspection robot connection, to provide for a reduced load on anelectrical coupling (e.g., power supply and/or network communicationload) between a given payload and the inspection robot. While theexamples of FIGS. 5 and 6 depict aligned or not aligned sleds forconvenience of illustration, a given inspection robot 100 may beconfigured with both aligned and not aligned sleds 1, for example toreduce mechanical loads, improve inspection robot balance, in responseto inspection surface constraints, or the like.

It can be seen that sensors may be modularly configured on the roboticvehicle to collect data on specific locations across the surface oftravel (e.g., on a top surface of an object, on the side of an object,between objects, and the like), repeat collection of data on the samesurface location (e.g., two sensors serially collecting data from thesame location, either with the same sensor type or different sensortypes), provide predictive sensing from a first sensor to determine if asecond sensor should take data on the same location at a second timeduring a single run of the robotic vehicle (e.g., an ultra-sonic sensormounted on a leading sensor sled taking data on a location determinesthat a gamma-ray measurement should be taken for the same location by asensor mounted on a trailing sensor sled configured to travel over thesame location as the leading sensor), provide redundant sensormeasurements from a plurality of sensors located in leading and trailinglocations (e.g., located on the same or different sensor sleds to repeatsensor data collection), and the like.

In certain embodiments, the robotic vehicle includes sensor sleds withone sensor and sensor sleds with a plurality of sensors. A number ofsensors arranged on a single sensor sled may be arranged with the samesensor type across the direction of robotic vehicle travel (e.g.,perpendicular to the direction of travel, or “horizontal”) to increasecoverage of that sensor type (e.g., to cover different surfaces of anobject, such as two sides of a pipe), arranged with the same sensor typealong the direction of robotic vehicle travel (e.g., parallel to thedirection of travel, or “vertical”) to provide redundant coverage ofthat sensor type over the same location (e.g., to ensure data coverage,to enable statistical analysis based on multiple measurements over thesame location), arranged with a different sensor type across thedirection of robotic vehicle travel to capture a diversity of sensordata in side-by-side locations along the direction of robotic vehicletravel (e.g., providing both ultra-sonic and conductivity measurementsat side-by-side locations), arranged with a different sensor type alongthe direction of robotic vehicle travel to provide predictive sensingfrom a leading sensor to a trailing sensor (e.g., running a trailinggamma-ray sensor measurement only if a leading ultra-sonic sensormeasurement indicates the need to do so), combinations of any of these,and the like. The modularity of the robotic vehicle may permitexchanging sensor sleds with the same sensor configuration (e.g.,replacement due to wear or failure), different sensor configurations(e.g., adapting the sensor arrangement for different surfaceapplications), and the like.

Providing for multiple simultaneous sensor measurements over a surfacearea, whether for taking data from the same sensor type or fromdifferent sensor types, provides the ability to maximize the collectionof sensor data in a single run of the robotic vehicle. If the surfaceover which the robotic vehicle was moving were perfectly flat, thesensor sled could cover a substantial surface with an array of sensors.However, the surface over which the robotic vehicle travels may behighly irregular, and have obstacles over which the sensor sleds mustadjust, and so the preferred embodiment for the sensor sled isrelatively small with a highly flexible orientation, as describedherein, where a plurality of sensor sleds is arranged to cover an areaalong the direction of robotic vehicle travel. Sensors may bedistributed amongst the sensor sleds as described for individual sensorsleds (e.g., single sensor per sensor sled, multiple sensors per sensorsled (arranged as described herein)), where total coverage is achievedthrough a plurality of sensor sleds mounted to the robotic vehicle. Onesuch embodiment, as introduced herein, such as depicted in FIG. 1,comprises a plurality of sensor sleds arranged linearly across thedirection of robotic vehicle travel, where the plurality of sensor sledsis capable of individually adjusting to the irregular surface as therobotic vehicle travels. Further, each sensor sled may be positioned toaccommodate regular characteristics in the surface (e.g., positioningsensor sleds to ride along a selected portion of a pipe aligned alongthe direction of travel), to provide for multiple detections of a pipeor tube from a number of radial positions, sensor sleds may be shaped toaccommodate the shape of regular characteristics in the surface (e.g.,rounded surface of a pipe), and the like. In this way, the sensor sledarrangement may accommodate both the regular characteristics in thesurface (e.g., a series of features along the direction of travel) andirregular characteristics along the surface (e.g., obstacles that thesensor sleds flexibly mitigate during travel along the surface).

Although FIG. 1 depicts a linear arrangement of sensor sleds with thesame extension (e.g., the same connector arm length), another examplearrangement may include sensor sleds with different extensions, such aswhere some sensor sleds are arranged to be positioned further out,mounted on longer connection arms. This arrangement may have theadvantage of allowing a greater density of sensors across theconfiguration, such as where a more leading sensor sled could bepositioned linearly along the configuration between two more trailingsensor sleds such that sensors are provided greater linear coverage thanwould be possible with all the sensor sleds positioned side-by-side.This configuration may also allow improved mechanical accommodationbetween the springs and connectors that may be associated withconnections of sensor sleds to the arms and connection assembly (e.g.,allowing greater individual movement of sensor sleds without the sensorsleds making physical contact with one another).

Referring to FIG. 5, an example configuration of sensor sleds includesthe forward sensor sled array 2006 ahead of the rear payload array 1402,such as where each utilizes a sensor sled connector assembly formounting the payloads. Again, although FIG. 5 depicts the sensor sledsarranged on the sensor sled connector assembly with equal length arms,different length arms may be utilized to position, for instance, sensorsleds of rear payload array 1402 in intermediate positions between rearsensor sleds of rear payload array 1402 and forward sensor sleds of theforward payload 2006. As was the case with the arrangement of aplurality of sensors on a single sensor sled to accommodate differentcoverage options (e.g., maximizing coverage, predictive capabilities,redundancy, and the like), the extended area configuration of sensors inthis multiple sensor sled array arrangement allows similarfunctionality. For instance, a sensor sled positioned in a lateralposition on the forward payload 2006 may provide redundant or predictivefunctionality for another sensor sled positioned in the same lateralposition on the rear payload 1402. In the case of a predictivefunctionality, the greater travel distance afforded by the separationbetween a sensor sled mounted on the second forward payload array 2006and a sensor mounted on the rear payload array 1402 may provide foradditional processing time for determining, for instance, whether thesensor in the trailing sensor sled should be activated. For example, theleading sensor collects sensor data and sends that data to a processingfunction (e.g., wired communication to on-board or external processing,wireless communication to external processing), the processor takes aperiod of time to determine if the trailing sensor should be activated,and after the determination is made, activates the trailing sensor. Theseparation of the two sensors, divided by the rate of travel of therobotic vehicle, determines the time available for processing. Thegreater the distance, the greater the processing time allowed. Referringto FIG. 7, in another example, distance is increased further byutilizing a trailing payload 2008, thus increasing the distance andprocessing time further. Additionally or alternatively, the hardwarearrangement of FIG. 7 may provide for more convenient integration of thetrailing payload 2008 rather than having multiple payloads 1402, 2006 infront of the inspection robot 100. In certain embodiments, certainoperations of a payload 2 may be easier or more desirable to perform ona trailing side of the inspection robot 100—such as spraying ofpainting, marking, or repair fluids, to avoid the inspection robot 100having to be exposed to such fluids as a remaining mist, by gravityflow, and/or having to drive through the painted, cleaned, or repairedarea. In certain embodiments, an inspection robot 100 may additionallyor alternatively include both multiple payloads 1402, 2006 in front ofthe inspection robot (e.g., as depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6) and/or one ormore trailing payloads (e.g., as depicted in FIG. 7).

In another example, the trailing payload 2008 (e.g., sensor sled array)may provide a greater distance for functions that would benefit thesystem by being isolated from the sensors in the forward end of therobotic vehicle. For instance, the robotic vehicle may provide for amarking device (e.g., visible marker, UV marker, and the like) to markthe surface when a condition alert is detected (e.g., detectingcorrosion or erosion in a pipe at a level exceeding a predefinedthreshold, and marking the pipe with visible paint).

Embodiments with multiple sensor sled connector assemblies provideconfigurations and area distribution of sensors that may enable greaterflexibility in sensor data taking and processing, including alignment ofsame-type sensor sleds allowing for repeated measurements (e.g., thesame sensor used in a leading sensor sled as in a trailing sensor sled,such as for redundancy or verification in data taking when leading andtrailing sleds are co-aligned), alignment of different-type sensor sledsfor multiple different sensor measurements of the same path (e.g.,increase the number of sensor types taking data, have the lead sensorprovide data to the processor to determine whether to activate thetrailing sensor (e.g., ultra-sonic/gamma-ray, and the like)), off-setalignment of same-type sensor sleds for increased coverage when leadingand trailing sleds are off-set from one another with respect to travelpath, off-set alignment of different-type sensor sleds for trailingsensor sleds to measure surfaces that have not been disturbed by leadingsensor sleds (e.g., when the leading sensor sled is using a couplant),and the like.

The modular design of the robotic vehicle may provide for a systemflexible to different applications and surfaces (e.g., customizing therobot and modules of the robot ahead of time based on the application,and/or during an inspection operation), and to changing operationalconditions (e.g., flexibility to changes in surface configurations andconditions, replacement for failures, reconfiguration based on sensedconditions), such as being able to change out sensors, sleds, assembliesof sleds, number of sled arrays, and the like.

Throughout the present description, certain orientation parameters aredescribed as “horizontal,” “perpendicular,” and/or “across” thedirection of travel of the inspection robot, and/or described as“vertical,” “parallel,” and/or in line with the direction of travel ofthe inspection robot. It is specifically contemplated herein that theinspection robot may be travelling vertically, horizontally, at obliqueangles, and/or on curves relative to a ground-based absolute coordinatesystem. Accordingly, except where the context otherwise requires, anyreference to the direction of travel of the inspection robot isunderstood to include any orientation of the robot—such as an inspectionrobot traveling horizontally on a floor may have a “vertical” directionfor purposes of understanding sled distribution that is in a“horizontal” absolute direction. Additionally, the “vertical” directionof the inspection robot may be a function of time during inspectionoperations and/or position on an inspection surface—for example as aninspection robot traverses over a curved surface. In certainembodiments, where gravitational considerations or other context basedaspects may indicate—vertical indicates an absolute coordinate systemvertical—for example in certain embodiments where couplant flow into acone is utilized to manage bubble formation in the cone. In certainembodiments, a trajectory through the inspection surface of a given sledmay be referenced as a “horizontal inspection lane”—for example, thetrack that the sled takes traversing through the inspection surface.

Certain embodiments include an apparatus for acoustic inspection of aninspection surface with arbitrary resolution. Arbitrary resolution, asutilized herein, includes resolution of features in geometric space witha selected resolution—for example resolution of features (e.g., cracks,wall thickness, anomalies, etc.) at a selected spacing in horizontalspace (e.g., perpendicular to a travel direction of an inspection robot)and/or vertical space (e.g., in a travel direction of an inspectionrobot). While resolution is described in terms of the travel motion ofan inspection robot, resolution may instead be considered in anycoordinate system, such as cylindrical or spherical coordinates, and/oralong axes unrelated to the motion of an inspection robot. It will beunderstood that the configurations of an inspection robot and operationsdescribed in the present disclosure can support arbitrary resolution inany coordinate system, with the inspection robot providing sufficientresolution as operated, in view of the target coordinate system.Accordingly, for example, where inspection resolution of 6-inches isdesired in a target coordinate system that is diagonal to the traveldirection of the inspection robot, the inspection robot and relatedoperations described throughout the present disclosure can supportwhatever resolution is required (whether greater than 6-inches, lessthan 6-inches, or variable resolution depending upon the location overthe inspection surface) to facilitate the 6-inch resolution of thetarget coordinate system. It can be seen that an inspection robot and/orrelated operations capable of achieving an arbitrary resolution in thecoordinates of the movement of the inspection robot can likewise achievearbitrary resolution in any coordinate system for the mapping of theinspection surface. For clarity of description, apparatus, andoperations to support an arbitrary resolution are described in view ofthe coordinate system of the movement of an inspection robot.

An example apparatus to support acoustic inspection of an inspectionsurface includes an inspection robot having a payload and a number ofsleds mounted thereon, with the sleds each having at least one acousticsensor mounted thereon. Accordingly, the inspection robot is capable ofsimultaneously determining acoustic parameters at a range of positionshorizontally. Sleds may be positioned horizontally at a selectedspacing, including providing a number of sleds to provide sensorspositioned radially around several positions on a pipe or other surfacefeature of the inspection surface. In certain embodiments, verticalresolution is supported according to the sampling rate of the sensors,and/or the movement speed of the inspection robot. Additionally oralternatively, the inspection robot may have vertically displacedpayloads, having an additional number of sleds mounted thereon, with thesleds each having at least one acoustic sensor mounted thereon. Theutilization of additional vertically displaced payloads can provideadditional resolution, either in the horizontal direction (e.g., wheresleds of the vertically displaced payload(s) are offset from sleds inthe first payload(s)) and/or in the vertical direction (e.g., wheresensors on sleds of the vertically displaced payload(s) are samplingsuch that sensed parameters are vertically offset from sensors on sledsof the first payload(s)). Accordingly, it can be seen that, even wherephysical limitations of sled spacing, numbers of sensors supported by agiven payload, or other considerations limit horizontal resolution for agiven payload, horizontal resolution can be enhanced through theutilization of additional vertically displaced payloads. In certainembodiments, an inspection robot can perform another inspection run overa same area of the inspection surface, for example with sleds trackingin an offset line from a first run, with positioning information toensure that both horizontal and/or vertical sensed parameters are offsetfrom the first run.

Accordingly, an apparatus is provided that achieves significantresolution improvements, horizontally and/or vertically, over previouslyknown systems. Additionally or alternatively, an inspection robotperforms inspection operations at distinct locations on a descentoperation than on an ascent operation, providing for additionalresolution improvements without increasing a number of run operationsrequired to perform the inspection (e.g., where an inspection robotascends an inspection surface, and descends the inspection surface as anormal part of completing the inspection run). In certain embodiments,an apparatus is configured to perform multiple run operations to achievethe selected resolution. It can be seen that the greater the number ofinspection runs required to achieve a given spatial resolution, thelonger the down time for the system (e.g., an industrial system) beinginspected (where a shutdown of the system is required to perform theinspection), the longer the operating time and greater the cost of theinspection, and/or the greater chance that a failure occurs during theinspection. Accordingly, even where multiple inspection runs arerequired, a reduction in the number of the inspection runs isbeneficial.

In certain embodiments, an inspection robot includes a low fluid losscouplant system, enhancing the number of sensors that are supportable ina given inspection run, thereby enhancing available sensing resolution.In certain embodiments, an inspection robot includes individual downforce support for sleds and/or sensors, providing for reduced fluidloss, reduced off-nominal sensing operations, and/or increasing theavailable number of sensors supportable on a payload, thereby enhancingavailable sensing resolution. In certain embodiments, an inspectionrobot includes a single couplant connection for a payload, and/or asingle couplant connection for the inspection robot, thereby enhancingreliability and providing for a greater number of sensors on a payloadand/or on the inspection robot that are available for inspections undercommercially reasonable operations (e.g., configurable for inspectionoperations with reasonable reliability, checking for leaks, expected tooperate without problems over the course of inspection operations,and/or do not require a high level of skill or expensive test equipmentto ensure proper operation). In certain embodiments, an inspection robotincludes acoustic sensors coupled to acoustic cones, enhancing robustdetection operations (e.g., a high percentage of valid sensing data,ease of acoustic coupling of a sensor to an inspection surface, etc.),reducing couplant fluid losses, and/or easing integration of sensorswith sleds, thereby supporting an increased number of sensors perpayload and/or inspection robot, and enhancing available sensingresolution. In certain embodiments, an inspection robot includesutilizing water as a couplant, thereby reducing fluid pumping losses,reducing risks due to minor leaks within a multiple plumbing line systemto support multiple sensors, and/or reducing the impact (environmental,hazard, clean-up, etc.) of performing multiple inspection runs and/orperforming an inspection operation with a multiplicity of acousticsensors operating.

Example and non-limiting configuration adjustments include changing ofsensing parameters such as cut-off times to observe peak values forultra-sonic processing, adjustments of rationality values forultra-sonic processing, enabling of trailing sensors or additionaltrailing sensors (e.g., X-ray, gamma ray, high resolution cameraoperations, etc.), adjustment of a sensor sampling rate (e.g., faster orslower), adjustment of fault cut-off values (e.g., increase or decreasefault cutoff values), adjustment of any transducer configurableproperties (e.g., voltage, waveform, gain, filtering operations, and/orreturn detection algorithm), and/or adjustment of a sensor range orresolution value (e.g., increase a range in response to a lead sensingvalue being saturated or near a range limit, decrease a range inresponse to a lead sensing value being within a specified range window,and/or increase or decrease a resolution of the trailing sensor). Incertain embodiments, a configuration adjustment to adjust a samplingrate of a trailing sensor includes by changing a movement speed of aninspection robot. It can be seen that the knowledge gained from the leadinspection data can be utilized to adjust the trailing sensor plan whichcan result more reliable data (e.g., where calibration assumptionsappear to be off-nominal for the real inspection surface), the saving ofone or more inspection runs (e.g., reconfiguring the sensing plan inreal-time to complete a successful sensing run during inspectionoperations), improved operations for a subsequent portion of a sensingrun (e.g., a first inspection run of the inspection surface improves theremaining inspection runs, even if the vertical track of the firstinspection run must be repeated), and/or efficient utilization ofexpensive sensing operations by utilizing such operations only when thelead inspection data indicates such operations are useful or required.The example controller includes a sensor operation circuit that adjustsparameters of the trailing sensor in response to the configurationadjustment, and the inspection data circuit interpreting trailinginspection data, wherein the trailing sensors are responsive to theadjusted parameters by the sensor operation circuit.

An example apparatus is disclosed to perform an inspection of anindustrial surface. Many industrial surfaces are provided in hazardouslocations, including without limitation where heavy or dangerousmechanical equipment operates, in the presence of high temperatureenvironments, in the presence of vertical hazards, in the presence ofcorrosive chemicals, in the presence of high pressure vessels or lines,in the presence of high voltage electrical conduits, equipment connectedto and/or positioned in the vicinity of an electrical power connection,in the presence of high noise, in the presence of confined spaces,and/or with any other personnel risk feature present. Accordingly,inspection operations often include a shutdown of related equipment,and/or specific procedures to mitigate fall hazards, confined spaceoperations, lockout-tagout procedures, or the like. In certainembodiments, the utilization of an inspection robot allows for aninspection without a shutdown of the related equipment. In certainembodiments, the utilization of an inspection robot allows for ashutdown with a reduced number of related procedures that would berequired if personnel were to perform the inspection. In certainembodiments, the utilization of an inspection robot provides for apartial shutdown to mitigate some factors that may affect the inspectionoperations and/or put the inspection robot at risk, but allows for otheroperations to continue. For example, it may be acceptable to positionthe inspection robot in the presence of high pressure or high voltagecomponents, but operations that generate high temperatures may be shutdown.

In certain embodiments, the utilization of an inspection robot providesadditional capabilities for operation. For example, an inspection robothaving positional sensing within an industrial environment can requestshutdown of only certain aspects of the industrial system that arerelated to the current position of the inspection robot, allowing forpartial operations as the inspection is performed. In another example,the inspection robot may have sensing capability, such as temperaturesensing, where the inspection robot can opportunistically inspectaspects of the industrial system that are available for inspection,while avoiding other aspects or coming back to inspect those aspectswhen operational conditions allow for the inspection. Additionally, incertain embodiments, it is acceptable to risk the industrial robot(e.g., where shutting down operations exceed the cost of the loss of theindustrial robot) to perform an inspection that has a likelihood ofsuccess, where such risks would not be acceptable for personnel. Incertain embodiments, a partial shutdown of a system has lower cost thana full shutdown, and/or can allow the system to be kept in a conditionwhere restart time, startup operations, etc. are at a lower cost orreduced time relative to a full shutdown. In certain embodiments, theenhanced cost, time, and risk of performing additional operations beyondmere shutdown, such as compliance with procedures that would be requiredif personnel were to perform the inspection, can be significant.

As shown in FIG. 18, a system may comprise a base station 4902 connectedby a tether 4904 to a center module 4910 of a robot 4908 used totraverse an industrial surface. The tether 4904 may be a conduit forpower, fluids, control, and data communications between the base station4902 and the robot 4908. The robot 4908 may include a center module 4910connected to one or more drive modules 4912 which enable the robot 4908to move along an industrial surface. The center module 4910 may becoupled to one or more sensor modules 4914 for measuring an industrialsurface—for example, the sensor modules 4914 may be positioned on adrive module 4912, on the payload, in the center body housing, and/oraspects of a sensor module 4914 may be distributed among these. Anexample embodiment includes the sensor modules 4914 each positioned onan associated drive module 4912, and electrically coupled to the centermodule 4910 for power, communications, and and/or control. The basestation 4902 may include an auxiliary pump 4920, a control module 4924and a power module 4922. The example robot 4908 may be an inspectionrobot, which may include any one or more of the following features:inspection sensors, cleaning tools, and/or repair tools. In certainembodiments, it will be understood that an inspection robot 4908 isconfigured to perform only cleaning and/or repair operations, and/or maybe configured for sensing, inspection, cleaning, and/or repairoperations at different operating times (e.g., performing one type ofoperation at a first operating time, and performing another type ofoperation at a second operating time), and/or may be configured toperform more than one of these operations in a single run or traversalof an industrial surface (e.g., the “inspection surface”). The modules4910, 4912, 4914, 4920, 4922, 4924 are configured to functionallyexecute operations described throughout the present disclosure, and mayinclude any one or more hardware aspects as described herein, such assensors, actuators, circuits, drive wheels, motors, housings, payloadconfigurations, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 19, the bottom surface of the center module 4910 mayinclude a cold plate 5202 to disperse heat built up by electronics inthe center module 4910. Couplant transferred from the base station 4902using the tether 4904 may be received at the couplant inlet 5102 whereit then flows through a manifold 5402 (internal to the center module andin contact with the cold plate) where the couplant may transfer excessheat away from the center module 4910. The manifold 5402 may also splitthe water into multiple streams for output through two or more couplantoutlets 5108. The utilization of the cold plate 5202 and heat transferto couplant passing through the center body as a part of operations ofthe inspection robot provides for greater capability and reliability ofthe inspection robot by providing for improved heat rejection for heatgenerating components (e.g., power electronics and circuits), whileadding minimal weight to the robot and tether.

The strength of magnets in the drive wheels may be such that each wheelis capable of supporting the weight of the robot even if the otherwheels lose contact with the surface. In certain embodiments, the wheelson the stability module may be magnetic, helping the stability moduleengage or “snap” into place upon receiving downward pressure from thegas spring or actuator. In certain embodiments, the stability modulelimits the rearward rotation of the inspection robot, for example if thefront wheels of the inspection robot encounter a non-magnetic or dirtysurface and lose contact. In certain embodiments, a stability module canreturn the front wheels to the inspection surface (e.g., by actuatingand rotating the front of the inspection robot again toward the surface,which may be combined with backing the inspection robot onto a locationof the inspection surface where the front wheels will again encounter amagnetic surface).

Referring to FIG. 20, a drive module (and/or the center body) mayinclude one or more payload mount assemblies 6900. The payload mountassembly 6900 may include a rail mounting block 6902 with a wearresistant sleeve 6904 and a rail actuator connector 6912. Once a rail ofthe payload is slid into position, a dovetail clamping block 6906 may bescrewed down with a thumbscrew 6910 to hold the rail in place with acam-lock clamping handle 6908. The wear resistant sleeve 6904 may bemade of Polyoxymethylene (POM), a low friction, strong, high stiffnessmaterial such as Delrin, Celecon, Ramtal, Duracon, and the like. Thewear resistant sleeve 6904 allows the sensor to easily slide laterallywithin the rail mounting block 6902. The geometry of the dovetailclamping block 6906 limits lateral movement of the rail once it isclamped in place. However, when unclamped, it is easy to slide the railoff to change the rail. In another embodiment, the rail mounting blockmay allow for open jawed, full rail coupling allowing the rail to berapidly attached and detached without the need for sliding intoposition.

Referring to FIGS. 21-24, an example of a rail 7000 is seen with aplurality of sensor carriages 7004 attached and an inspection camera7002 attached. As shown in FIG. 22, the inspection camera 7002 may beaimed downward (e.g., at 38 degrees) such that it captures an image ofthe inspection surface that can be coordinated with sensor measurements.The inspection video captured may be synchronized with the sensor dataand/or with the video captured by the navigation cameras on the centermodule. The inspection camera 7002 may have a wide field of view suchthat the image captured spans the width of the payload and the surfacemeasured by all of the sensor carriages 7004 on the rail 7000.

The length of the rail may be designed to according to the width ofsensor coverage to be provided in a single pass of the inspection robot,the size and number of sensor carriages, the total weight limit of theinspection robot, the communication capability of the inspection robotwith the base station (or other communicated device), the deliverabilityof couplant to the inspection robot, the physical constraints (weight,deflection, etc.) of the rail and/or the clamping block, and/or anyother relevant criteria. A rail may include one or more sensor carriageclamps 7200 having joints with several degrees of freedom for movementto allow the robot to continue even if one or more sensor carriagesencounter unsurmountable obstacles (e.g., the entire payload can beraised, the sensor carriage can articulate vertically and raise over theobstacle, and/or the sensor carriage can rotate and traverse around theobstacle).

The rail actuator connector 6912 may be connected to a rail (payload)actuator which is able to provide a configurable down-force on the rail7000 and the attached sensor carriages 7004 to assure contact and/ordesired engagement angle with the inspection surface. The payloadactuator may facilitate engaging and disengaging the rail 7000 (andassociated sensor carriages 7004) from the inspection surface tofacilitate obstacle avoidance, angle transitions, engagement angle, andthe like. Rail actuators may operate independently of one another. Thus,rail engagement angle may vary between drive modules on either side ofthe center module, between front and back rails on the same drivemodule, and the like.

Referring to FIGS. 25-27, a sensor clamp 7200 may allow sensor carriages7004 to be easily added individually to the rail (payload) 7000 withoutdisturbing other sensor carriages 7004. A simple sensor set screw 7202tightens the sensor clamp edges 7204 of the sensor clamp 7200 over therail. In the example of FIGS. 25-27, a sled carriage mount 7206 providesa rotational degree of freedom for movement.

FIG. 28 depicts a multi-sensor sled carriage 7004, 7300. The embodimentof FIG. 28 depicts multiple sleds arranged on a sled carriage, but anyfeatures of a sled, sled arm, and/or payload described throughout thepresent disclosure may otherwise be present in addition to, or asalternatives to, one or more features of the multi-sensor sled carriage7004, 7300. The multi-sensor sled carriage 7300 may include a multiplesled assembly, each sled 7302 having a sled spring 7304 at the front andback (relative to direction of travel) to enable the sled 7302 to tiltor move in and out to accommodate the contour of the inspection surface,traverse obstacles, and the like. The multi-sensor sled carriage 7300may include multiple communication conduits (or power/data connectors)7306, one running to each sensor sled 7302, to power the sensor andtransfer acquired data back to the robot. Depending on the sensor type,the multi-sensor sled carriage 7300 may include multiple couplant lines7308 providing couplant to each sensor sled 7302 requiring couplant.

Referring to FIGS. 29-31, in a top perspective depiction, twomultiple-sensor sled assemblies 7400 of different widths are shown, asindicated by the width label 7402. A multiple sled assembly may includemultiple sleds 7302. Acoustic sleds may include a couplant port 7404 forreceiving couplant from the robot. Each sled may have a sensor opening7406 to accommodate a sensor and engage a power/data connector 7306. Amultiple-sensor sled assembly width may be selected to accommodate theinspection surface to be traversed such as pipe outer diameter,anticipated obstacle size, desired inspection resolution, a desirednumber of contact points (e.g., three contact points ensuringself-alignment of the sled carriage and sleds), and the like.

Referring to FIGS. 32-35, a sled may include a sensor housing 7610having a groove 7604. A replaceable engagement surface 7602 may includeone or more hooks 7608 which interact with the groove 7604 to snap thereplaceable engagement surface 7602 to the sensor housing 7610. Thesensor housing 7610, a cross section of which is shown in FIG. 36, maybe a single machined part which may include an integral couplant channel7702, in some embodiments this is a water line, and an integrated coneassembly 7704 to allow couplant to flow from the couplant line 7308 downto the inspection surface. There may be a couplant plug 7706 to preventthe couplant from flowing out of a machining hole 7708 rather than downthrough the integrated cone assembly 7704 to the inspection surface. Thefront and back surface of the sled may be angled at approximately 40° toprovide the ability of the sled to surmount obstacles on the navigationsurface. If the angle is too shallow, the size of obstacle the sled isable to surmount is small. If the angle is too steep, the sled may bemore prone to jamming into obstacles rather than surmounting theobstacles. The angle may be selected according to the size and type ofobstacles that will be encountered, the available contingencies forobstacle traversal (degrees of freedom and amount of motion available,actuators available, alternate routes available, etc.), and/or thedesired inspection coverage and availability to avoid obstacles.

In addition to structural integrity and machinability, the material usedfor the sensor housing 7610 may be selected based on acousticalcharacteristics (such as absorbing rather than scattering acousticsignals, harmonics, and the like), hydrophobic properties (waterproof),and the ability to act as an electrical insulator to eliminate aconnection between the sensor housing and the chassis ground, and thelike such that the sensor housing may be suitable for a variety ofsensors including EMI sensors. A PEI plastic such as ULTEM® 1000(unreinforced amorphous thermoplastic polyetherimide) may be used forthe sensor housing 7610.

In embodiments, a sensor carriage may comprise a universal single sledsensor assembly 7800 as shown in FIGS. 37-40. The universal single sledsensor assembly 7800 may include a single sensor housing 7802 havingsled springs 7805 at the front and back (relative to direction oftravel) to enable the single sled sensor assembly 7800 to tilt or movein and out to accommodate the contour of the inspection surface,traverse obstacles, and the like. The universal single sled sensorassembly 7800 may have a power/data connector 7806 to power the sensorand transfer acquired data back to the robot. The universal single sledsensor assembly 7800 may include multiple couplant lines 7808 attachedto a multi-port sled couplant distributor 7810. Unused couplant ports7812 may be connected to one another to simply reroute couplant backinto a couplant system.

Referring to FIG. 38, a universal single-sensor assembly may includeextendable stability “wings” 7902 located on either side of the sensorhousing 7802 which may be expanded or contracted (See FIGS. 39-40)depending on the inspection surface. In an illustrative and non-limitingexample, the stability “wings” may be expanded to accommodate aninspection surface such as a pipe with a larger outer dimension. Thestability “wings” together with the sensor housing 7802 provide threepoints of contact between the universal single sled assembly 7800 andthe inspection surface, thereby improving the stability of the universalsingle sled assembly 7800. In certain embodiments, the stability wingsalso provide rapid access to the replaceable/wearable contact surfacefor rapid changes and/or repair of a sled contact surface.

In embodiments, identification of a sensor and its location on a railand relative to the center module may be made in real-time during apre-processing/calibration process immediately prior to an inspectionrun, and/or during an inspection run (e.g., by stopping the inspectionrobot and performing a calibration). Identification may be based on asensor ID provided by an individual sensor, visual inspection by theoperator or by image processing of video feeds from navigation andinspection cameras, and user input include including specifying thelocation on the robot and where it is plugged in. In certainembodiments, identification may be automated, for example by poweringeach sensor separately and determining which sensor is providing asignal.

In embodiments, the difference in the configuration between the firstand second payloads may be a difference between a first directionalforce applied on the first payload, e.g., a downward force applied by afirst biasing member of the first payload to at least one inspectionsensor of the first payload, and a second directional force applied onthe second payload, e.g., a downward force, distinct from the firstdownward force, applied by a second biasing member of the second payloadto at least one inspection sensor of the second payload. In embodiments,the distinction between the first and the second directional forces maybe one of a magnitude, angle, and/or direction. The angle may berelative to the inspection surface. For example, in embodiments, thesecond payload may have a stronger downward biasing force than the firstpayload. In such embodiments, an operator of the inspection robot mayattempt to use the first payload to inspect the inspection surface onlyto discover that the sensors of the first payload are having difficultycoupling to the inspection surface. The operator may then recall theinspection robot and swap out the first payload for the second payloadto employ the stronger downward biasing force to couple the sensors ofthe second payload to the inspection surface.

In embodiments, the difference in the configuration between the firstand second payloads may be a difference in a first spacing between atleast two arms of the first payload and a spacing between at least twoarms of the second payload.

In embodiments, the difference in the configuration between the firstand second payloads may be a difference in spacing defined at least inpart on a difference in a first number of inspection sensors on a sledof the first payload and a second number of inspection sensors on a sledof the second payload.

In embodiments, the distinction between the first inspectioncharacteristic and the second inspection characteristic include at leastone of a sensor interface, a sled ramp slope, a sled ramp height, a sledpivot location, an arm pivot location, a sled pivot range of motion, anarm pivot range of motion, a sled pivot orientation, an arm pivotorientation, a sled width, a sled bottom surface configuration, acouplant chamber configuration, a couplant chamber side, a couplantchamber routing, or a couplant chamber orientation.

In embodiments, the distinction between the first inspectioncharacteristic and the second inspection characteristic is of biasingmember type. For example, the first payload may have an active biasingmember and the second payload may have a passive biasing member or viceversa. In such embodiments, the active biasing member may be motivelycoupled to an actuator, wherein a motive force of the actuator includesan electromagnetic force, a pneumatic force, or a hydraulic force. Inembodiments, the passive biasing member may include a spring or apermanent magnet.

In embodiments, the distinction between the first inspectioncharacteristic and the second inspection characteristic may be a side ofthe inspection robot chassis which the first payload is operative to bedisposed and a side of the inspection robot chassis which the secondpayload is operative to be disposed. For example, the chassis may have afirst payload interface on a first side and a second payload interfaceon a second side opposite the first side, wherein first payload may beoperative to mount/couple to the first payload interface and lead thechassis and the second payload may be operative to mount/couple to thesecond payload interface and trail the chassis or vice versa.

In an embodiment, and referring to FIG. 49, a payload 18400 for aninspection robot for inspecting an inspection surface may include apayload coupler 18402 having a first portion 18404 and a second portion18406, the first portion 18404 selectively couplable to a chassis of theinspection robot; an arm 18408 having a first end 18410 and a second end18412, the first end 18410 coupled to the second portion 18406 of thepayload coupler 18402; one or more sleds 18414 mounted to the second end18412 of the arm 18408; and at least two inspection sensors 18416,wherein each of the at least two inspection sensors 18416 are mounted toa corresponding sled 18414 of the one or more sleds, and operationallycouplable to the inspection surface; wherein the second portion 18406 ofthe payload coupler 18402 may be moveable in relation to the firstportion 18404. The second portion 18406 of the payload coupler mayinclude a line manager 18424 for restraining coupler lines.

The term selectively couplable (and similar terms) as utilized hereinshould be understood broadly. Without limitation to any other aspect ordescription of the present disclosure, selectively couplable describes aselected association between objects. For example, an interface ofobject 1 may be so configured as to couple with an interface of object 2but not with the interface of other objects. An example of selectivecoupling includes a power cord designed to couple to certain models of aparticular brand of computer, while not being able to couple with othermodels of the same brand of computer. In certain embodiments,selectively couplable includes coupling under selected circumstancesand/or operating conditions, and/or includes de-coupling under selectedcircumstances and/or operating conditions.

In an embodiment, the second portion 18406 of the payload coupler 18402may be rotatable with respect to the first portion 18404. In anembodiment, the first end of the arm 18408 may be moveable in relationto the second portion 18406 of the payload coupler 18402. In anembodiment, the first end 18410 of the arm 18408 may rotate in relationto the second portion 18406 of the payload coupler 18402. In anembodiment, the first portion of the payload coupler is rotatable withrespect to a first axis, and wherein the first end of the arm isrotatable in a second axis distinct from the first axis.

In an embodiment, the one or more sleds 18414 may be rotatable inrelation to the second end 18412 of the arm 18408. The payload mayfurther include at least two sleds 18414, and wherein the at least twosleds 18414 may be rotatable as a group in relation to the first end ofthe arm 18408 at the pivot 18420. The payload may further include adownward biasing force device 18418 structured to selectively apply adownward force to the at least two inspection sensors 18416 with respectto the inspection surface. In embodiments, the weight position of thebiasing force device 18418 may be set at design time or run time. Insome embodiments, weight positions may only include a first position ora second position, or positions in between (a few, a lot, orcontinuous). In embodiments, the downward biasing force device 18418 maybe disposed on the second portion 18406 of the payload coupler 18402.The downward biasing force device 18418 may be one or more of a weight,a spring, an electromagnet, a permanent magnet, or an actuator. Thedownward biasing force device 18418 may include a weight moveablebetween a first position applying a first downward force and a secondposition applying a second downward force. The downward biasing forcedevice 18418 may include a spring, and a biasing force adjustor moveablebetween a first position applying a first downward force and a secondposition applying a second downward force. In embodiments, the force ofthe biasing force device 18418 may be set at design time or run time. Inembodiments, the force of the biasing force device 18418 may beavailable only at a first position/second position, or positions inbetween (a few, a lot, or continuous). For example, setting the forcemay involve compressing a spring or increasing a tension, such as in arelevant direction based on spring type. In another example, setting theforce may involve changing out a spring to one having differentproperties, such as at design time. In embodiments, the spring mayinclude at least one of a torsion spring, a tension spring, acompression spring, or a disc spring. The payload 18400 may furtherinclude an inspection sensor position actuator structured to adjust aposition of the at least two inspection sensors 18416 with respect tothe inspection surface. The payload may further include at least twoinspection sensors 18416, wherein the payload coupler 18402 may bemoveable with respect to the chassis of the inspection robot and theinspection sensor position actuator may be coupled to the chassis,wherein the inspection sensor position actuator in a first positionmoves the payload coupler 18402 to a corresponding first couplerposition, thereby moving the at least two sensors 18416 to acorresponding first sensor position, and wherein the inspection sensorposition actuator in a second position moves the payload coupler 18402to a corresponding second coupler position, thereby moving the at leasttwo inspection sensors 18416 to a corresponding second sensor position.In some embodiments, the inspection sensor position actuator may becoupled to a drive module. In some embodiments, a payload position mayinclude a down force selection (e.g., actuator moves to touch sensorsdown, further movement may be applying force and may not correspond tofully matching geometric movement of the payload coupler). Inembodiments, the inspection sensor position actuator may be structuredto rotate the payload coupler 18402 between the first coupler positionand the second coupler position. The actuator may be structured tohorizontally translate the payload coupler 18402 between the firstcoupler position and the second coupler position.

The term fluidly communicate (and similar terms) as utilized hereinshould be understood broadly. Without limitation to any other aspect ordescription of the present disclosure, fluid communication describes amovement of a fluid, a gas, or a liquid, between two points. In someexamples, the movement of the fluid between the two points can be one ofmultiple ways the two points are connected, or may be the only way theyare connected. For example, a device may supply air bubbles into aliquid in one instance, and in another instance the device may alsosupply electricity from a battery via the same device toelectrochemically activate the liquid.

The payload may further include at least two sensor couplant channels,each of the at least two sensor couplant channels, e.g., 5405 (FIG. 54),fluidly coupled to the payload couplant interface at a first end, andfluidly coupled to a couplant chamber, e.g., 2810 (FIG. 16), for acorresponding one of the at least two inspection sensors 18416 at asecond end. In an embodiment, the arm 18408 defines at least a portionof each of the at least two sensor couplant channels 5405, that is, theat least two sensor couplant channels share some of their length in thearm portion before branching out. The payload 18400 may further includea communication conduit structured to provide electrical communicationbetween a chassis control interface 5118 and a payload control interfacee.g., interface 18422, and wherein each of the at least two inspectionsensors 18416 may be communicatively coupled to the payload controlinterface 18422.

The communication conduit may include at least two sensor controlchannels, each of the at least two sensor control channelscommunicatively coupled to the payload control interface at a first end,and communicatively coupled to a corresponding one of the at least twoinspection sensors 18416 at a second end. The arm 18408 may define atleast a portion of each of the at least two sensor control channels.

The term universal conduit (and similar terms) as utilized herein shouldbe understood broadly. Without limitation to any other aspect ordescription of the present disclosure, a universal conduit describes aconduit capable of providing multiple other conduits or connectors, suchas fluid, electricity, communications, or the like. In certainembodiments, a universal conduit includes a conduit at least capable toprovide an electrical connection and a fluid connection. In certainembodiments, a universal conduit includes a conduit at least capable toprovide an electrical connection and a communication connection.

The term mechanically couple (and similar terms) as utilized hereinshould be understood broadly. Without limitation to any other aspect ordescription of the present disclosure, mechanically coupling describesconnecting objects using a mechanical interface, such as joints,fasteners, snap fit joints, hook and loop, zipper, screw, rivet, or thelike.

In an embodiment, and referring to FIGS. 41-42, a system 10400 mayinclude an inspection robot 10402 comprising a chassis or center module10414, a payload 10404; at least one arm 10406, wherein each arm 10406is pivotally mounted to a payload 10404; at least two sleds 10408,wherein each sled 10408 is mounted to the at least one arm 10406; aplurality of inspection sensors 10410, each of the inspection sensors10410 coupled to one of the sleds 10408 such that each sensor isoperationally couplable to an inspection surface 10412, wherein the atleast one arm is horizontally moveable relative to a correspondingpayload 10404; and a tether 10416 including an electrical power conduit10506 operative to provide electrical power; and a working fluid conduit10504 operative to provide a working fluid. In an embodiment, theworking fluid may be a couplant and the working fluid conduit 10504 maybe structured to fluidly communicate with at least one sled 10408 toprovide for couplant communication via the couplant between aninspection sensor 10410 mounted to the at least one sled 10408 and theinspection surface 10412. In an embodiment, the couplant providesacoustic communication between the inspection sensor and the inspectionsurface. In an embodiment, the couplant does not perform work (W). In anembodiment, the working fluid conduit 10504 has an inner diameter 10512of about one eighth of an inch. In an embodiment, the tether 10502 mayhave an approximate length selected from a list consisting of: 4 feet, 6feet, 10 feet, 15 feet, 24 feet, 30 feet, 34 feet, 100 feet, 150 feet,200 feet, or longer than 200 feet. In an embodiment, the working fluidmay be at least one of: a paint; a cleaning solution; and a repairsolution. In certain embodiments, the working fluid additionally oralternatively is utilized to cool electronic components of theinspection robot, for example by being passed through a cooling plate inthermal communication with the electronic components to be cooled. Incertain embodiments, the working fluid is utilized as a cooling fluid inaddition to performing other functions for the inspection robot (e.g.,utilized as a couplant for sensors). In certain embodiments, a portionof the working fluid may be recycled to the base station and/or purged(e.g., released from the inspection robot and/or payload), allowing fora greater flow rate of the cooling fluid through the cooling plate thanis required for other functions in the system such as providing sensorcoupling.

It should be understood that any operational fluid of the inspectionrobot 10402 may be a working fluid. The tether 10416 may further includea couplant conduit 10510 operative to provide a couplant. The system10400 may further include a base station 10418, wherein the tether 10416couples the inspection robot 10402 to the base station 10418. In anembodiment, the base station 10418 may include a controller 10430; and alower power output electrically coupled to each of the electrical powerconduit 10506 and the controller 10430, wherein the controller 10430 maybe structured to determine whether the inspection robot 10402 isconnected to the tether 10416 in response to an electrical output of thelower power output. In embodiments, the electrical output may be atleast 18 Volts DC. In an embodiment, the controller 10430 may be furtherstructured to determine whether an overcurrent condition exists on thetether 10416 based on an electrical output of the lower power output.The tether 10502 may further include a communication conduit 10508operative to provide a communication link, wherein the communicationconduit 10508 comprises an optical fiber or a metal wire. Since fiber islighter than metal for communication lines, the tether 10502 can belonger for vertical climbs because it weighs less. A body of the tether10502 may include at least one of: a strain relief 10420; a heatresistant jacketing 10514; a wear resistant outer layer 10516; andelectromagnetic shielding 10518. In embodiments, the tether 10502 mayinclude similar wear materials. In embodiments, the sizing of theconduits 10504, 10506, 10508, 10510 may be based on power requirements,couplant flow rate, recycle flow rate, or the like.

In an embodiment, and referring to FIG. 41 and FIG. 42, a tether 10502for connecting an inspection robot 10402 to a base station 10418 mayinclude an electrical power conduit 10506 comprising an electricallyconductive material; a working fluid conduit 10504 defining a workingfluid passage therethrough; a base station interface 10432 positioned ata first end of the tether 10416, the base station interface operable tocouple the tether 10416 to a base station 10418; a robot interface 10434positioned at a second end of the tether, the robot interface operableto couple the tether 10416 to the inspection robot 10402; a strainrelief 10420; a wear resistant outer layer 10516; and electromagneticshielding 10518. The tether may further include a communication conduit10508, wherein the communication conduit 10508 may include an opticalfiber or a metal wire. The electrical power conduit 10506 may furtherinclude a communication conduit 10508. In an embodiment, the workingfluid conduit 10504 may have an inner diameter 10512 of about one eighthof an inch.

Operations of the inspection robot 100 provide the sensors 2202 inproximity to selected locations of the inspection surface 500 andcollect associated data, thereby interrogating the inspection surface500. Interrogating, as utilized herein, includes any operations tocollect data associated with a given sensor, to perform data collectionassociated with a given sensor (e.g., commanding sensors, receiving datavalues from the sensors, or the like), and/or to determine data inresponse to information provided by a sensor (e.g., determining values,based on a model, from sensor data; converting sensor data to a valuebased on a calibration of the sensor reading to the corresponding data;and/or combining data from one or more sensors or other information todetermine a value of interest). A sensor 2202 may be any type of sensoras set forth throughout the present disclosure, but includes at least aUT sensor, an EMI sensor (e.g., magnetic induction or the like), atemperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor (e.g.,infrared, visual spectrum, and/or ultra-violet), a visual sensor (e.g.,a camera, pixel grid, or the like), or combinations of these.

As shown in FIG. 43, the example system may include a base station 10418(e.g., reference FIG. 18) and/or a tether (e.g., reference FIG. 41,element 10416). In embodiments, the system may also include theinspection robot 100 to include one or more payloads 2, one or moreoutput couplant interfaces 11602 (FIG. 46) disposed on a chassis of theinspection robot 100, and/one or more sensors 2202.

The tether may include a high-voltage power line, and/or a proximityline. As explained herein, the tether may couple the inspection robot100 to the base station 4902 for the provision of electrical power,couplant, data communications and/or other services from the basestation 4902 (or other devices in communication with the base station4902) to the inspection robot 100. As shown in FIG. 42, the tether mayinclude multiple conduits for transporting electrical power,communications, couplant and/or other services.

The example base station 4902 may include a couplant pump 11304, acouplant reservoir 11306, a radiator 11308, a couplant temperaturesensor 11310, a couplant pressure sensor 11312, a couplant flow ratesensor 11316, other couplant sensor 11314, and/or an external couplantinterface 11318. As shown in FIG. 44, embodiments of the base station4902 may also include a number of circuits configured to functionallyperform operations of the base station 4902 as described herein. Forexample, the base station 4902 may include an external couplantevaluation circuit 11402 (FIG. 44). The example base station 4902 mayadditionally or alternatively include aspects of any other base station,controller, circuit, and/or similar device as described throughout thepresent disclosure. Aspects of example circuits may be embodied as oneor more computing devices, computer-readable instructions configured toperform one or more operations of a circuit upon execution by aprocessor, one or more sensors, one or more actuators, and/orcommunications infrastructure (e.g., routers, servers, networkinfrastructure, or the like). Further details of the operations ofcertain circuits associated with the base station 4902 are set forth,without limitation, in the portion of the disclosure referencing FIGS.43-47 and 48.

The example base station 4902 is depicted schematically in FIGS. 43 and44 as a single device for clarity of description, but the base station4902 may be a single device, a distributed device, and/or may includeportions at least partially positioned with other devices in the system(e.g., on the inspection robot 100). In certain embodiments, the basestation 4902 may be at least partially positioned on a computing deviceassociated with an operator of the inspection robot (not shown), such asa local computer at a facility including the inspection surface 500, alaptop, and/or a mobile device. In certain embodiments, the base station4902 may alternatively or additionally be at least partially positionedon a computing device that is remote to the inspection operations, suchas on a web-based computing device, a cloud computing device, acommunicatively coupled device, or the like.

Accordingly, as illustrated in FIGS. 43 and 44, the external couplantinterface 11318 may receive external couplant from an external source,e.g., a water spigot. The external couplant evaluation circuit 11402 mayinterpret couplant sensor data 11414 and determine an external couplantstatus value 11406 which may be representative of a characteristic ofthe couplant at the external couplant interface 11318. Thecharacteristic may be a flow rate 11408, a temperature 11412, a pressure11410 and/or any other measurable property of the couplant. Thecharacteristic may be sensed by one or more of the couplant temperaturesensor 11310, couplant pressure sensor 11312, couplant flow rate sensor11316 and/or other couplant sensors 11314 suitable for measuring othercharacteristics of the external couplant.

In embodiments, the couplant pump 11304 may pump the couplant from theexternal couplant interface 11318 through the couplant line of thetether in response to the external couplant status value 11406. Thecouplant pump 11304 may be adjusted to control pressure and/or flow rateof the couplant. For example, the external couplant evaluation circuit11402 may have a target set of couplant parameters, e.g., temperature,pressure, flow rate, etc., that the couplant evaluation circuit 11402may attempt to condition the external couplant towards prior totransferring the external couplant to the tether for transport to theinspection robot 100.

In embodiments, the radiator 11308 may thermally couple at least aportion of the couplant prior to the tether to an ambient environment.The radiator 11308 may include one or more coils and/or plates throughwhich the couplant flows. In embodiments, the radiator 11308 may be acounter flow radiator where a working fluid is moved in the reversedirection of the flow of the couplant and absorbs thermal energy fromthe couplant.

In embodiments, the external couplant evaluation circuit 11402 maydetermine a temperature of the external couplant and provide a coolingcommand 11404 in response to the temperature of the external couplant.In such embodiments, the radiator 11308 may be responsive to the coolingcommand 11404. For example, if the external couplant evaluation circuit11402 determines that the temperature of external couplant is too high,the cooling command 11404 may facilitate cooling of the couplant via theradiator. As will be understood, some embodiments may include a heatingelement to heat the couplant in the event that the external couplantevaluation circuit 11402 determines that a temperature of the externalcouplant is too cold to effectively couple the sensors 2202 to theinspection surface 500.

As shown in FIG. 45, in embodiments, at least one of the inspectionpayloads 2 includes a couplant evaluation circuit 11502 that provides acouplant status value 11504. The couplant status value 11504 may includea characteristic of the couplant, e.g., a flow rate 11506, a pressure11508, a temperature 11510 and/or other characteristics suitable formanaging couplant within the payload 2. The couplant status value 11504may be based at least in part on couplant sensor data 11512 interpretedby the couplant evaluation circuit 11502.

Moving to FIG. 46, each output couplant interface 11602 may include aflow control circuit 11604 structured to control a payload couplantparameter 11608 of the couplant flowing to each of the at least oneinspection payloads 2. The payload couplant parameter 11608 may bedetermined in response to the couplant status value 11504 for acorresponding payload 2. In embodiments, the payload couplant parameter11608 may be a characteristic of the couplant flowing to a payload 2,e.g., a pressure 11612, flow rate 11610, temperature 11614 and/or anyother characteristic suitable for managing the couplant to the payloads2.

Turning to FIG. 44, in embodiments, each of the plurality of acousticsensors 2202 may include a sensor couplant evaluation circuit 11702 thatprovides a sensor couplant status value 11706. In embodiments, thesensor couplant status value 11706 may include a characteristic of thecouplant, e.g., flow rate 11708, pressure 11710, temperature 11712and/or any other characteristic suitable for managing flow of thecouplant. The sensor couplant status value 11706 may be based at leastin part on a couplant status value 11722 interpreted by the sensorcouplant evaluation circuit 11702. The couplant status value 11722 mayinclude a characteristic of the couplant flowing to the sensor 2202 fromthe payload 2, e.g., pressure, flow rate, temperature and/or any othercharacteristic suitable for managing the couplant to the payloads 2.

In embodiments, each of the plurality of acoustic sensors 2202 mayinclude a sensor flow control circuit 11704 operative to control asensor couplant parameter 11714 of the couplant flowing to acorresponding one of the plurality of acoustic sensors 2202. The sensorcouplant parameter 11714 may include a characteristic of the couplant,e.g., flow rate 11716, pressure 11718, temperature 11720 and/or anyother characteristic suitable for managing flow of the couplant. Inembodiments, the sensor flow control circuit 11704 may control thesensor couplant parameter 11714 in response to the sensor couplantstatus value 11706 for the corresponding acoustic sensor 2202.

Accordingly, in operation according to certain embodiments, externalcouplant is received from an external couplant source at the externalcouplant interface 11818 of the base station 4902. The base station 4902may then condition the couplant, e.g., control temperature, pressureand/or flow rate, and pump the couplant to the chassis of the inspectionrobot 100 via the tether. The couplant may then be received by areservoir and/or a manifold on the chassis of the inspection robot 100where it may be further conditioned and distributed to the payloads 2via the output couplant interfaces 11602. Each payload 2 may thenreceive and further condition the couplant before distributing thecouplant to the sensors 2202. The sensors 2202, in turn, may furthercondition the couplant prior to introducing the couplant into thecoupling chamber. As will be appreciated, conditioning the couplant atmultiple points along its path from the couplant source to the couplingchamber provides for greater control over the couplant. Further, havingmultiple conditioning points for the couplant provides for the abilityto tailor the couplant to the needs of individual payloads 2 and/orsensors 2202, which in turn, may provide for improved efficiency in thequality of acquired data by the sensors 2202. For example, a firstpayload 2 of the inspection robot 100 may be positioned over a portionof the inspection surface that is bumpier than another portion which asecond payload 2 of the inspection robot 100 may be positioned over.Accordingly, embodiments of the system for managing couplant, asdescribed herein, may increase the flow rate of couplant to the firstpayload independently of the flow rate to the second payload. As will beunderstood, other types of couplant characteristics may be controlledindependently across the payloads 2 and/or across the sensor 2202.

Illustrated in FIG. 48 is a method for managing couplant for aninspection robot 100. The method may include receiving couplant 11802,transporting 11810 the couplant to the inspection robot 100 andutilizing 11818 the couplant to facilitate contact between an acousticsensor 2202 of a payload 2 and a corresponding object, e.g., inspectionsurface 500, being inspected by the inspection robot 100. Inembodiments, the method may include evaluating 11804 an incomingcouplant characteristic, e.g., a pressure, a flow rate, a temperature,and/or other characteristics suitable for managing the couplant. Inembodiments, the method may further include selective rejecting heat11806 from the received couplant before the transporting the couplantthrough the tether to the inspection robot 100. In embodiments, themethod may include pumping 11808 the couplant through the tether and/ortransporting 11810 the couplant through the tether to the inspectionrobot 100. The method may further include transporting 11812 thecouplant from the chassis of the inspection robot 100 to one or morepayload 2. In embodiments, the method may further include controlling11814 a couplant characteristic to the payload 2. The couplantcharacteristic controlled to the payload 2 may be a pressure,temperature, flow rate and/or other characteristic suitable for managingthe couplant. In embodiments, the method may further include controlling11816 a couplant characteristic to a coupling chamber positioned betweenthe acoustic sensor and the corresponding object. The couplantcharacteristic controller to the coupling chamber may be a pressure,temperature, flow rate and/or other characteristic suitable for managingthe couplant. In embodiments, the method may further include utilizing11818 couplant to facilitate contact between sensors and object beinginspected.

As will be appreciated, embodiments of the modular drive assembliesdisclosed herein may provide for the ability to quickly swap out wheelconfigurations for the inspection robot. For example, a first modulardrive assembly having wheels with a first shape corresponding to a firstportion of an inspection surface (or the surface as a whole) may beswitched out with another modular drive assembly having wheels with ashape corresponding to a second portion of the inspection surface (or asecond inspection surface). For example, a first modular drive assemblymay be used to inspect a first pipe having a first curvature and asecond modular drive assembly may be used to inspect a second pipehaving a second curvature.

Operations of the inspection robot 100 provide the sensors 2202 inproximity to selected locations of the inspection surface 500 andcollect associated data, thereby interrogating the inspection surface500. Interrogating, as utilized herein, includes any operations tocollect data associated with a given sensor, to perform data collectionassociated with a given sensor (e.g., commanding sensors, receiving datavalues from the sensors, or the like), and/or to determine data inresponse to information provided by a sensor (e.g., determining values,based on a model, from sensor data; converting sensor data to a valuebased on a calibration of the sensor reading to the corresponding data;and/or combining data from one or more sensors or other information todetermine a value of interest). A sensor may be any type of sensor asset forth throughout the present disclosure, but includes at least a UTsensor, an EMI sensor (e.g., magnetic induction or the like), atemperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor (e.g.,infrared, visual spectrum, and/or ultra-violet), a visual sensor (e.g.,a camera, pixel grid, or the like), or combinations of these.

In certain embodiments, the robot configuration controller interprets auser inspection request value, for example from the user interface, anddetermines the inspection description value in response to the userinspection request value. For example, one or more users may provideinspection request values, such as an inspection type value (e.g., typeof data to be taken, result types to be detected such as wall thickness,coating conformity, damage types, etc.), an inspection resolution value(e.g., a distance between inspection positions on the inspectionsurface, a position map for inspection positions, a largest un-inspecteddistance allowable, etc.), an inspected condition value (e.g., pass/failcriteria, categories of information to be labeled for the inspectionsurface, etc.), an inspection ancillary capability value (e.g.,capability to repair, mark, and/or clean the surface, capability toprovide a couplant flow rate, capability to manage a given temperature,capability to perform operations given a power source description,etc.), an inspection constraint value (e.g., a maximum time for theinspection, a defined time range for the inspection, a distance betweenan available base station location and the inspection surface, acouplant source amount or delivery rate constraint, etc.), an inspectionsensor distribution description (e.g., a horizontal distance betweensensors, a maximum horizontal extent corresponding to the inspectionsurface, etc.), an ancillary component description (e.g., a componentthat should be made available on the inspection robot, a description ofa supporting component such as a power connector type, a couplantconnector type, a facility network description, etc.), an inspectionsurface vertical extent description (e.g., a height of one or moreportions of the inspection surface), a couplant management componentdescription (e.g., a composition, temperature, pressure, etc. of acouplant supply to be utilized by the inspection robot during inspectionoperations), and/or a base station capability description (e.g., a sizeand/or position available for a base station, coupling parameters for apower source and/or couplant source, relationship between a base stationposition and power source and/or couplant source positions, network typeand/or availability, etc.).

Example and non-limiting user inspection request values include aninspection type value, an inspection resolution value, an inspectedcondition value, and/or an inspection constraint value. Example andnon-limiting inspection robot configuration description(s) include oneor more of an inspection sensor type description (e.g., sensed values;sensor capabilities such as range, sensing resolution, sampling rates,accuracy values, precision values, temperature compatibility, etc.;and/or a sensor model number, part number, or other identifyingdescription), an inspection sensor number description (e.g., a totalnumber of sensors, a number of sensors per payload, a number of sensorsper arm, a number of sensors per sled, etc.), an inspection sensordistribution description (e.g., horizontal distribution; verticaldistribution; spacing variations; and/or combinations of these withsensor type, such as a differential lead/trailing sensor type orcapability), an ancillary component description (e.g., a repaircomponent, marking component, and/or cleaning component, includingcapabilities and/or constraints applicable for the ancillary component),a couplant management component description (e.g., pressure and/orpressure rise capability, reservoir capability, compositioncompatibility, heat rejection capability, etc.), and/or a base stationcapability description (e.g., computing power capability, powerconversion capability, power storage and/or provision capability,network or other communication capability, etc.).

A trajectory, as used herein, indicates a progression, sequence, and/orscheduled development of a related parameter over time, operatingconditions, spatial positions, or the like. A trajectory may be adefined function (e.g., corresponding values of parameter A that are tobe utilized for corresponding values of parameter B), an indicateddirection (e.g., pursuing a target value, minimizing, maximizing,increasing, decreasing, etc.), and/or a state of an operating system(e.g., lifted, on or off, enabled or disabled, etc.). In certainembodiments, a trajectory indicates activation or actuation of a valueover time, activation or actuation of a value over a prescribed group ofoperating conditions, activation or actuation of a value over aprescribed spatial region (e.g., a number of inspection surfaces,positions and/or regions of a specific inspection surface, and/or anumber of facilities), and/or activation or actuation of a value over anumber of events (e.g., scheduled by event type, event occurrencefrequency, over a number of inspection operations, etc.). In certainembodiments, a trajectory indicates sensing a parameter, operating asensor, displaying inspection data and/or visualization based oninspection data, over any of the related parameters (operatingconditions, spatial regions, etc.) listed foregoing. The examples of atrajectory set forth with regard to the presently described embodimentsare applicable to any embodiments of the present disclosure, and anyother descriptions of a trajectory set forth elsewhere in the presentdisclosure are applicable to the presently described embodiments.

A response, as used herein, and without limitation to any other aspectof the present disclosure, includes an adjustment to at least one of: aninspection configuration for the inspection robot while on the surface(e.g., a change to sensor operations; couplant operations; robottraversal commands and/or pathing; payload configurations; and/or downforce configuration for a payload, sled, sensor, etc.); a change todisplay operations of the inspection data; a change to inspection dataprocessing operations, including determining raw sensor data, minimalprocessing operations, and/or processed data values (e.g., wallthickness, coating thickness, categorical descriptions, etc.); aninspection configuration for the inspection robot performed with theinspection robot removed from the inspection surface (e.g., changedwheel configurations, changed drive module configurations; adjustedand/or swapped payloads; changes to sensor configurations (e.g.,switching out sensors and/or sensor positions); changes to hardwarecontrollers (e.g., switching a hardware controller, changing firmwareand/or calibrations for a hardware controller, etc.); and/or changing atether coupled to the inspection robot. The described responses arenon-limiting examples, and any other adjustments, changes, updates, orresponses set forth throughout the present disclosure are contemplatedherein for potential rapid response operations. Certain responses aredescribed as performed while the inspection robot is on the inspectionsurface and other responses are described as performed with theinspection robot removed from the inspection surface, although any givenresponse may be performed in the other condition, and the availabilityof a given response as on-surface or off-surface may further depend uponthe features and configuration of a particular inspection robot, as setforth in the multiple embodiments described throughout the presentdisclosure. Additionally or alternatively, certain responses may beavailable only during certain operating conditions while the inspectionrobot is on the inspection surface, for example when the inspectionrobot is in a location physically accessible to an operator, and/or whenthe inspection robot can pause physical movement and/or inspectionoperations such as data collection. One of skill in the art, having thebenefit of the present disclosure and information ordinarily availablewhen contemplating a particular system and/or inspection robot, canreadily determine response operations available for the particularsystem and/or inspection robot.

A response that is rapid, as used herein, and without limitation to anyother aspect of the present disclosure, includes a response capable ofbeing performed in a time relevant to the considered downstreamutilization of the response. For example, a response that can beperformed during the inspection operation, and/or before the completionof the inspection operation, may be considered a rapid response incertain embodiments, allowing for the completion of the inspectionoperation utilizing the benefit of the rapid response. Certain furtherexample rapid response times include: a response that can be performedat the location of the inspection surface (e.g., without requiring theinspection robot be returned to a service or dispatching facility forreconfiguration); a response that can be performed during a period oftime wherein a downstream customer (e.g., an owner or operator of afacility including the inspection surface; an operator of the inspectionrobot performing the inspection operations; and/or a user related to theoperator of the inspection robot, such as a supporting operator,supervisor, data verifier, etc.) of the inspection data is reviewing theinspection data and/or a visualization corresponding to the inspectiondata; and/or a response that can be performed within a specified periodof time (e.g., before a second inspection operation of a secondinspection surface at a same facility including both the inspectionsurface and the second inspection surface; within a specified calendarperiod such as a day, three days, a week, etc.). An example rapidresponse includes a response that can be performed within a specifiedtime related to interactions between an entity related to the operatorof the inspection robot and an entity related to a downstream customer.For example, the specified time may be a time related to an invoicingperiod for the inspection operation, a warranty period for theinspection operation, a review period for the inspection operation, andor a correction period for the inspection operation. Any one or more ofthe specified times related to interactions between the entities may bedefined by contractual terms related to the inspection operation,industry standard practices related to the inspection operation, anunderstanding developed between the entities related to the inspectionoperation, and/or the ongoing conduct of the entities for a numberinspection operations related to the inspection operation, where thenumber of inspection operations may be inspection operations for relatedfacilities, related inspection surfaces, and/or previous inspectionoperations for the inspection surface. One of skill in the art, havingthe benefit of the disclosure herein and information ordinarilyavailable when contemplating a particular system and/or inspectionrobot, can readily determine response operations and response timeperiods that are rapid responses for the purposes of the particularsystem.

Certain considerations for determining whether a response is a rapidresponse include, without limitation, one or more of: The purpose of theinspection operation, how the downstream customer will utilize theinspection data from the inspection operation, and/or time periodsrelated to the utilization of the inspection data; entity interactioninformation such as time periods wherein inspection data can be updated,corrected, improved, and/or enhanced and still meet contractualobligations, customer expectations, and/or industry standard obligationsrelated to the inspection data; source information related to theresponse, such as whether the response addresses an additional requestfor the inspection operation after the initial inspection operation wasperformed, whether the response addresses initial requirements for theinspection operation that were available before the inspection operationwas commenced, whether the response addresses unexpected aspects of theinspection surface and/or facility that were found during the inspectionoperations, whether the response addresses an issue that is attributableto the downstream customer and/or facility owner or operator, such as:inspection surface has a different configuration than was indicated atthe time the inspection operation was requested; the facility owner oroperator has provided inspection conditions that are different thanplanned conditions, such as couplant availability, couplant composition,couplant temperature, distance from an available base station locationto the inspection surface, coating composition or thickness related tothe inspection surface, vertical extent of the inspection surface,geometry of the inspection surface such as pipe diameters and/or tankgeometry, availability of network infrastructure at the facility,availability of position determination support infrastructure at thefacility, operating conditions of the inspection surface (e.g.,temperature, obstacles, etc.); additional inspected conditions arerequested than were indicated at the time of the inspection operationwas requested; and/or additional inspection robot capabilities such asmarking, repair, and/or cleaning are requested than were indicated atthe time the inspection operation was requested.

The example utilizes x-y coverage resolution to illustrate theinspection surface as a two-dimensional surface having a generallyhorizontal (or perpendicular to the travel direction of the inspectionrobot) and vertical (or parallel to the travel direction of theinspection robot) component of the two-dimensional surface. However, itis understood that the inspection surface may have a three-dimensionalcomponent, such as a region within a tank having a surface curvaturewith three dimensions, a region having a number of pipes or otherfeatures with a depth dimension, or the like. In certain embodiments,the x-y coverage resolution describes the surface of the inspectionsurface as traversed by the inspection robot, which may be twodimensional, conceptually two dimensional with aspects have a threedimensional component, and/or three dimensional. The description ofhorizontal and vertical as related to the direction of travel is anon-limiting example, and the inspection surface may have a firstconceptualization of the surface (e.g., x-y in a direction unrelated tothe traversal direction of the inspection robot), where the inspectionrobot traverses the inspection surface in a second conceptualization ofthe surface (e.g., x-y axes oriented in a different manner than the x-ydirections of the first conceptualization), where the operations of theinspection robot such as movement paths and/or sensor inspectionlocations performed in the second conceptualization are transformed andtracked in the first conceptualization (e.g., by the inspection mapconfiguration circuit, a controller on the inspection robot, acontroller on a base station, etc.) to ensure that the desiredinspection coverage from the view of the first conceptualization areachieved.

As shown in FIG. 53, the center module 4910 (or center body) of therobot may include a couplant inlet 5102, a data communications/controltether input 5112, forward facing and reverse facing navigation cameras5104, multiple chassis control interfaces (connectors) 5118, couplantoutlets 5108 (e.g., to each payload), and one or more drive moduleconnections 5110 (e.g., one on each side). An example center module 4910includes a distributed controller design, with low-level and hardwarecontrol decision making pushed down to various low level control modules(e.g., 5114, and/or further control modules on the drive modules asdescribed throughout the present disclosure). The utilization of adistributed controller design, for example as depicted schematically inFIG. 85, facilitates rapid design, rapid upgrades to components, andcompatibility with a range of components and associated control modules5114. For example, the distributed controller design allows the highlevel controller (e.g., the brain/gateway) to provide communications ina standardized high-level format (e.g., requesting movement rates,sensed parameter values, powering of components, etc.) without utilizingthe hardware specific low-level controls and interfaces for eachcomponent, allowing independent development of hardware components andassociated controls. The use of the low-level control modules mayimprove development time and enable the base level control module to becomponent neutral and send commands, leaving the specific implementationup to the low-level control module 5114 associated with a specificcamera, sensor, sensor module, actuator, drive module, and the like. Thedistributed controller design may extend to distributing the localcontrol to the drive module(s) and sensor module(s) as well.

Referencing FIGS. 54-55, example alternate embodiments for sleds, arms,payloads, and sensor interfaces, including sensor mounting and/or sensorelectronic coupling, are described herein. The examples of FIGS. 54-55,and/or aspects of the examples of FIGS. 54-55, may be included inembodiments of inspection robots, payloads, arms, sleds, andarrangements of these as described throughout the present disclosure.The examples of FIGS. 54-55 include features that provide for, withoutlimitation, ease of integration, simplified coupling, and/or increasedoptions to achieve selected horizontal positioning of sensors, selectedhorizontal sensor spacing, increased numbers of sensors on a payloadand/or inspection robot, and/or increased numbers of sensor typesavailable within a given geometric space for an inspection robot.

Referencing FIG. 54, a side cutaway view of an example couplant routingmechanism for a sled is depicted. The example of FIG. 54 includes acouplant channel first portion 5403 that fluidly couples a couplantinterface 5405 for the sled to a couplant manifold 5407 of the sled (viathe couplant channel second portion 5409 in the example), providing fora single couplant interface 5405 to provide couplant to a number ofsensors coupled to the sled. The example of FIG. 54 includes a couplantseal 5411 to selectively seal the couplant channel 5403, 5409, which maybe provided as an access position for a sensor (e.g., to determine anaspect of the couplant in the couplant channel 5403, 5409 such as atemperature, composition, etc.), and/or to allow for a simplefabrication of the sled. For example, the couplant channel first portion5403 may be provided by a first drilling or machining operation, and thecouplant channel second portion 5409 may be provided by a seconddrilling or machining operation, with the resulting opening sealed withthe couplant seal 5411. In certain embodiments, for example where thecouplant channel 5403, 5409 is formed by an additive manufacturingoperation, the couplant channel 5403, 5409 may be formed without theopening, and the couplant seal 5411 may be omitted. The couplantmanifold 5407 may be formed by the sled, and/or may be formed by thesled interfacing with a sensor mounting insert.

Referencing FIG. 55, a partial cutaway bottom view of the examplecouplant routing mechanism for the sled is depicted. The example of FIG.55 is compatible with an embodiment having a sled lower body portion aspartially depicted in FIG. 54, wherein a sled mounting insert is coupledto the sled lower body portion forming the sled having sensors mountedthereon. The example of FIG. 55 includes a sled manifold portion 5502,consistent with the side view depicting the couplant manifold 5407. Thesled manifold portion 5502 is fluidly coupled to the couplant channel5409, 5403, and includes a distributing portion 5506 routing couplant tocouplant chamber groups associated with sensors to be mounted on thesled. The sled further includes a sensor opening 5504, which is anopening defined by the manifold configuration. Each sensor opening 5504may have a sensor mounted to interrogate the inspection surface throughthe sensor opening 5504, where the manifold configuration defining theopening interacts with the sensor to form a couplant chamber.

The couplant chamber, when filled with couplant, provides acousticcoupling between the sensor and the inspection surface, and a resultingdistance between the inspection surface and the associated sensor at therespective sensor opening 5504 provides the delay line corresponding tothat sensor. Up to 6 sensors may be mounted on a single sled.Additionally, the position of the sensor openings 5504 and can beprovided such that each sensor opening 5504 is horizontally displaced(e.g., at a distinct vertical position of FIG. 55 as depicted, where thesled in operation traverses the inspection surface to the left or to theright), and/or has a selected horizontal displacement. Accordingly, andembodiment such as that depicted in FIG. 55 includes multiple sensors ona single sled, having selected horizontal distribution. In certainembodiments, one of the available sensors may not be mounted on thesled, and the corresponding sensor opening 5504 may be sealed, and/ormay just be allowed to leak couplant during operations of the inspectionrobot. In certain embodiments, one or more additional sensors (e.g., asensor that is not a UT sensor) may be mounted to the sled at one of thesensor openings 5504, and the sensor may operate in the presence of thecouplant, be sealed from the manifold, and/or a portion of the manifoldmay be omitted. For example, an embodiment of FIG. 55 where a leg of themanifold is omitted allows for three mounted UT sensors in a firstsensor group, and three mounted sensor of another type in a secondsensor group. Additionally or alternatively, a sensor mounting insert, aportion of the manifold, including a leg of the manifold and/or just asingle sensor position, allowing for a group of sensors mounted on asensor mounting insert to have the proper couplant flow configuration ina single operation of coupling the sensor mounting insert to the sledlower body portion.

Referencing FIG. 50, an example payload having an arm and two sledsmounted thereto is depicted. In certain embodiments, the arrangement ofFIG. 50 forms a portion of a payload, for example as an arm coupled to apayload at a selected horizontal position. In certain embodiments, thearrangement of FIG. 50 forms a payload, for example coupled at aselected horizontal position to a rail or other coupling feature of aninspection robot chassis, thereby forming a payload having a number ofinspection sensors mounted thereon. The example of FIG. 50 includes anarm 19802 coupling the sled to a payload coupling 19810 (and/or chassiscoupling 19810). The arm 19802 defines a passage therethrough, wherein acouplant connection may pass through the passage, or may progress abovethe arm to couple with the sensor lower body portion. The arrangement ofFIG. 50 provides multiple degrees of freedom for movement of the sled,any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Forexample, the pivot coupling 19812 of the arm 19802 to the sled allowsfor pivoting of the sled relative to the arm 19802, and each sled of thepair of sleds depicted may additionally or alternatively pivotseparately or be coupled to pivot together (e.g., pivot coupling 19812may be a single axle, or separate axles coupled to each sled). The armcoupling 19804 provides for pivoting of the arm 19802 relative to theinspection surface (e.g., raising or lowering), and a second armcoupling 19816 provides for rotation of the arm 19802 (and couplingjoint 19814) along a second perpendicular axis relative to arm coupling19804. Accordingly, couplings 19804, 19816 operate together to in atwo-axis gimbal arrangement, allowing for rotation in one axis, andpivoting in the other axis. The selected pivoting and/or rotationaldegrees of freedom are selectable, and one or more of the pivoting orrotational degrees of freedom may be omitted, limited in available rangeof motion, and/or be associated with a biasing member that urges themovement in a selected direction and/or urges movement back toward aselected position. In the example of FIG. 50, a biasing spring 19806urges the pivot coupling 19812 to move the arm 19802 toward theinspection surface, thereby contributing to a selected downforce on thesled. Any one or more of the biasing members may be passive (e.g.,having a constant arrangement during inspection operations) and/oractive (e.g., having an actuator that adjusts the arrangement, forexample changing a force of the urging, changing a direction of theurging, and/or changing the selected position of the urging. The exampleof FIG. 50 depicts selected ramps 19704 defined by the sled, and sensorgroup housing 19200 elements positioned on each sled and coupling thesensors to the sled and/or the inspection surface. The example of FIG.50 further includes a coupling line retainer 19808 that provides forrouting of couplant lines and/or electrical communication away fromrotating, pivoting, or moving elements, and provides for consistentpositioning of the couplant lines and/or electrical communication forease of interfacing the arrangement of FIG. 50 with a payload and/orinspection chassis upon which the arrangement is mounted. The examplepayload coupling 19810 includes a clamp having a moving portion and astationary portion, and may be operable with a screw, a quick connectelement (e.g., a wing nut and/or cam lever arrangement), or the like.The example payload coupling 19810 is a non-limiting arrangement, andthe payload/chassis coupling may include any arrangement, including,without limitation, a clamp, a coupling pin, an R-clip (and/or a pin), aquick connect element, or combinations among these elements.

In certain embodiments, an inspection robot and/or payload arrangementmay be configured to engage a flat inspection surface. Engagement to aflat inspection surface is a non-limiting example, and otherarrangements may include utilizing sled bottom surfaces, overall sledengagement positions, or freedom of relative movement of sleds and/orarms to engage a curved surface, a concave surface, a convex surface,and/or combinations of these (e.g., a number of parallel pipes havingundulations, varying pipe diameters, etc.). An inspection robot and/orpayload arrangement as set forth herein may be configured to provide anumber of inspection sensors distributed horizontally and operationallyengaged with the inspection surface, where movement on the inspectionsurface by the inspection robot moves the inspection sensors along theinspection surface. In certain embodiments, the arrangement isconfigurable to ensure the inspection sensors remain operationallyengaged with a flat inspection surface, with a concave inspectionsurface, and/or with a convex inspection surface. Additionally, thearrangement is configurable, for example utilizing pivotal and/orrotation arrangements of the arms and/or payloads, to maintainoperational contact between the inspection sensors and an inspectionsurface having a variable curvature. For example, an inspection robotpositioned within a large concave surface such as a pipe or acylindrical tank, where the inspection robot moves through a verticalorientation (from the inspection robot perspective) is not eitherparallel to or perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pipe, willexperience a varying concave curvature with respect to the horizontalorientation (from the inspection robot perspective), even where the pipehas a constant curvature (from the perspective of the pipe). In anotherexample, an inspection robot traversing an inspection surface havingvariable curvature, such as a tank having an ellipsoid geometry, or acylindrical tank having caps with a distinct curvature relative to thecylindrical body of the tank.

Numerous embodiments described throughout the present disclosure arewell suited to successfully execute inspections of inspection surfaceshaving flat and/or varying curvature geometries. For example, payloadarrangements described herein allow for freedom of movement of sensorsleds to maintain operational contact with the inspection surface overthe entire inspection surface space. Additionally, control of theinspection robot movement with positional interaction, includingtracking inspection surface positions that have been inspected,determining the position of the inspection robot using dead reckoning,encoders, and/or absolute position detection, allows for assurance thatthe entire inspection surface is inspected according to a plan, and thatprogression across the surface can be performed without excessiverepetition of movement. Additionally, the ability of the inspectionrobot to determine which positions have been inspected, to utilizetransformed conceptualizations of the inspection, and the ability of theinspection robot to reconfigure (e.g., payload arrangements, physicalsensor arrangements, down force applied, and/or to raise payloads),enable and/or disable sensors and/or data collection, allows forassurance that the entire inspection surface is inspected withoutexcessive data collection and/or utilization of couplant. Additionally,the ability of the inspection robot to traverse between distinct surfaceorientations, for example by lifting the payloads and/or utilizing astability support device, allows the inspection robot to traversedistinct surfaces, such as surfaces within a tank interior, surfaces ina pipe bend, or the like. Additionally, embodiments set forth hereinallow for an inspection robot to traverse a pipe or tank interior orexterior in a helical path, allowing for an inspection having a selectedinspection resolution of the inspection surface within a single pass(e.g., where representative points are inspected, and/or wherein thehelical path is selected such that the horizontal width of the sensorsoverlaps and/or is acceptably adjacent on subsequent spirals of thehelical path).

It can be seen that various embodiments herein provide for an inspectionrobot capable to inspect a surface such as an interior of a pipe and/oran interior of a tank. Additionally, embodiments of an inspection robotherein are operable at elevated temperatures relative to acceptabletemperatures for personnel, and operable in composition environments(e.g., presence of CO₂, low oxygen, etc.) that are not acceptable topersonnel. Additionally, in certain embodiments, entrance of aninspection robot into certain spaces may be a trivial operation, whereentrance of a person into the space may require exposure to risk, and/orrequire extensive preparation and verification (e.g., lock-out/tag-outprocedures, confined space procedures, exposure to height procedures,etc.). Accordingly, embodiments throughout the present disclosureprovide for improved cost, safety, capability, and/or completion time ofinspections relative to previously known systems or procedures.

Presently available inspection devices for inspection surfaces relatedto welded and joined metal sections suffer from a number of drawbacks.Ultrasonic testing of weld areas and affected zones (e.g., areas heatedby and/or affected by welding operations in the region of the weld)involve the traversal of the sensor head—for example a single UT sensorthat is rastered back and forth to inspect a slice of the surface (e.g.,a 200 mills, or ⅕ of an inch), then the sensor is advanced (e.g., about200 mills again, if full surface inspection coverage is desired), andthe operation is repeated until the desired surface coverage isinspected. Presently available devices and processes are therefore slow,expensive, and require significant manual management—for exampleinspecting and aligning the sensor along the weld area.

Systems, devices, and procedures as set forth herein provide for anumber of improvements over previously known systems. Example systemsallow for inspection of a significantly greater slice at a time—forexample, three times to ten times the inspection area for each rasteringslice, and additionally provide for improved inspection operations thatare more likely to detect thin features (e.g., small cracks, and/orcracks that are significantly parallel with the rastering direction,which are difficult to detect with a single sensor scan). Additionally,systems herein provide for significantly improved coverage relative ofthe inspection area. Determination of damage, aging, or other failuresrelative to welds and heat affected areas are difficult, and sensitiveto the context of detected features. For example, a bulk crack that isnot associated with another feature such as corrosion, damage, hydrogeninduced corrosion, and/or that is not in a stress direction may be lesslikely to propagate and/or cause further degradation or failure.Accordingly, the specific location of cracks, the features and corrosionmechanisms that are closely associated with cracks, and/or theorientation and/or progression over time of a crack are critical tounderstanding when repair or maintenance may be required, and/or when afailure is imminent. Systems herein provide for improved resolution inthe inspection area, and improved diversity of sensor orientation(s)relative to the inspected areas. Further, systems herein provide forimproved inspection speeds, and improved operations that provide forgreater confidence that the proper area is being inspected, and thatallow for greater automation of the inspection operations, providing foradjustment and confirmation of inspection operations without manualinputs, and allowing for inspection of surfaces that may be in dangerousareas (e.g., a high H2S environment), confined spaces, and/or otherareas where manual operations are expensive, dangerous, or unavailable(e.g., within a pipe that a person cannot enter, and/or surfacespositioned in locations where a person cannot physically reach).

Previously known weld inspection operations are performed with a highdegree of manual inputs, including positioning of sensors, movement ofsensors along the weld, and manual verification of inspectionpositioning with regard to the weld. Additionally, tools for inspectingthe weld and inspecting the heat affected area of the weld are separatedevices, requiring two separate inspection operations to cover both theweld and the heat affected area.

Systems provided herein are capable to perform a weld inspectionsimultaneously with a heat affected zone inspection, and additionallyare capable to ensure inspection of the proper area, traversal ofobstacles, following a contour of a weld (including non-linear contours,intersecting weld areas, etc.) without manual input or interaction, andaccordingly without requiring (or greatly reducing exposure) thatpersonnel directly engage confined spaces or other environmentalhazards.

Referencing FIG. 95, an example inspection robot 9502 is depicted,having a number of features herein that provide for rapid inspection ofan inspection surface in a selected zone. The selected zone may be aheat affected area, for example a region near a weld that may beaffected by the heat generated in welding operations, and/or a regionnear a weld that is to be inspected for damage, wear, or other artefactsgenerated by the welding operations, that subsequently occur over timein response to changes to the region from the welding operations, and/ora region where degradation of the region may affect the weld. An exampleheat affected area is about 6 inches on either side of the weld, but thesize of the heat affected area may depend upon the material of the weldand/or inspection surface, the welding operations performed (e.g., typeof weld, temperature of welding operations, time of welding operations,etc.), environmental conditions (e.g., ambient temperature, ambientenvironment, etc., during the welding operations and/or in-use of theinspection surface), thickness of the inspection surface material,purpose and/or criticality of the inspection surface, industry standardregions to be treated as the affected region, and/or regulatoryrequirements for inspection of a region as a heat affected region.

In the example of FIG. 95, an example inspection payload 9504 includes amulti-phased array, for example an array of UT sensors 9154, 9156, whichmay be rastered (e.g., moved back and forth) over a traversal region.The traversal region may be sized sufficiently such that the inspectedregion covers the heat affected region. The example payload is aninspection element 9150 which includes a multi-phased array that isoriented vertically (e.g., in the direction of travel of the inspectionrobot 100), rather than a typical horizontal arrangement for amulti-phased array. The multi-phased array allows for the inspectionrobot 9502 to cover a greater extent of the inspection along thedirection of travel (inspection) 9604 for each rastering operation,allowing for more rapid inspection of the inspection surface. Althoughexamples elsewhere herein describe UT phased sensor arrays with 64sensors (channels), for clarity of the present description, however, anynumber of UT sensors may be provided in the array. An examplemulti-phased array may include 8 sensors, 16 sensors, 32 sensors, 64sensors, 128 sensors, and/or any other number of sensors (includingnumbers of sensors that are NOT a power of 2). An example multi-phasedarray including 64 sensors can inspect a given surface much more quicklythan a single sensor arrangement as previously known, since eachrastering operation is inspecting a greater extent of the surface alongthe direction of travel 9604. Based on simulation and experience, anembodiment such as depicted in FIGS. 95-96 can readily inspect a surfaceat least about 5 times faster than previously known systems, whileproviding for improved inspection operations including a greaterresolution, ability to detect cracks that are oriented in unfavorabledetection directions, and with an improved determination of proximity tofeatures of interest that can differentiate cracks or defects that arelikely to require a response from cracks or defects that can be ignoredor have a deferred response.

One challenge presented from a multi-phase array includes capturing aprocessing a large amount of data that is provided by UT sensors, aswell as managing the sensors and inspection operations, for exampleproviding couplant to the array to ensure that sensors are acousticallycoupled to the surface, providing power and communications to thesensors and/or rastering actuator, and the like.

In certain embodiments, the inspection robot 9502 may include a cameraor other imaging device, for example to allow for remote positioningand/or confirmation of position for the inspection robot 9502 withoutmanual intervention or the user having to be in proximity to theinspection robot 100. Additionally or alternatively, the inspectionrobot 9502 includes drive control allowing for steering operations,traversal on the inspection surface, and the like. Additionally oralternatively, the inspection robot 9502 includes payload control, forexample allowing operations to lift the payload (e.g., to traverse anobstacle), to shift the payload (e.g., extending away from or closer tothe inspection robot in the vertical direction, and/or shifting of thepayload nominal position in the horizontal direction), and/oradditionally allows for adjustment of the region measured in thedirection of inspection (also referred to as the traversal region)(e.g., wider, narrower, and/or shifted). Payload control operations maybe responsive to the inspection surface (e.g., where the heat affectedregion varies along the inspection surface, where obstacles are known orplanned for, and/or based on detected features from a previousinspection operation—for example an extent of previous damage,confirmation of a repair, etc.), and/or may be based upon observationsand/or inspection data determined during the inspection operation—e.g.,adjusting the size and/or arrangement of the heat affected area to beinspected based on inspection data.

Referencing FIG. 96, a schematic 9600 of an example inspection robot9502 capable of inspecting a weld 9608 of an inspection surface 9602,and heat affected zones 9610, 9612 on either side of the weld 9608, in asingle pass, is depicted. The example of FIG. 96 schematically depictsthe inspection surface 9602 having a weld 9608 (e.g., where physicalweld material is positioned) and heat affected zones 9610, 9612 on eachside of the weld 9608. The arrangement is an illustrative example. Theinspection robot 9502 controls two inspection assemblies 9150A, 9150Bfor inspecting the heat affected zones 9610, 9612, for example with afirst rastering device 9620A rastering a first inspection assembly 9150Athrough a traversal region covering the first heat affected zone 9610,and a second rastering device 9620B rastering inspection assembly 9150Bthrough a traversal region covering a second heat affected zone 9612.The example inspection robot 9502 includes a weld sensor 9603, forexample including a time-of-flight sensor on each side of the weld, toinspect the weld 9608. The example of FIG. 96 is non-limiting, and thearrangement of payloads is provided for clarity of the presentdescription. In certain embodiments, one or all inspection assemblies(or elements) 9150A, 9150B, or weld sensor 9603 may be provided eitherin front of the inspection robot 9502 or behind the inspection robot9502. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the separatelydepicted inspection assemblies 9150A, 9150B may be provided on a singlepayload, for example as set forth in applications '391 and/or '701, withseparate inspection sleds, shoes, or other coupling features to thepayload, and allowing for the appropriate sensor positioning to inspectmore than one heat affected region and/or the weld from a singlepayload.

The example of FIG. 96 depicts a single payload, with associatedtraversal region, dedicated to each heat affected area. In certainembodiments, a single payload may inspect both heat affected areas, forexample with a traversal region that passes over both heat affectedareas. In the example, inspection with the single payload may includeinspection over the weld area (e.g., either utilizing or disposing ofweld area inspection data), lifting the payload to traverse the weldarea, or the like. In certain embodiments, more than one payload may beutilized to traverse a heat affected area—for example two separatepayloads may inspect the right heat affected area, allowing for eitherdata redundancy (e.g., where the traversal areas overlap), and/orcompletion of inspection operations with a reduced traversal distancefor each of the payloads (e.g., reducing the wait time at eachinspection slice for mechanical movement of the payload across thetraversal region). In certain embodiments, a combination of payloads maybe utilized—for example with payloads inspecting the right side heataffected area that are displaced vertically (e.g., one payload in frontof the inspection robot, and a second payload behind the inspectionrobot, or both payloads provided in front, or both payloads providedbehind). The utilization of multiple payloads can be utilized for dataredundancy (e.g., both payloads inspect overlapping regions), enhancedoperating speed (e.g., one payload inspects “odd” slices and the otherpayload inspects “even” slices), multiple inspection types, and/ormultiple sensor calibrations (e.g., where surface materials, corrosionmaterials, damage types, etc. are not known with certainty, allowing forsensor calibrations to be varied between payloads to account for unknownparameters of the inspection surface). The description herein utilizingmore than one payload may additionally or alternatively be embodied asthe mounting of multiple inspection units (e.g., more than one phasedarray) on a given payload.

Referring to FIG. 56, a top down depiction 5600 of welds 5604, 5605, andconnected pieces (e.g., plates, pipe walls, etc.) 5602A, 5602B, 5602Care schematically depicted. Portions of plates 5602A, 5602B, 5602C maybe affected by the heat applied as part of the welding process. Theseportions are known as Heat-Affected Zones (HAZ) 5606A, 5606B, 5606C. Theextent of potential damage in these areas due to the welding process maybe, without limitation, a function of the heat input, welding speed,voltage, and current. There are variations for thin and thick plates.The affected areas may undergo changes in molecular structure (e.g.,crystal structure, grain, etc.), induced stress, chemical changes, orthe like. The degree of damage in a HAZ 5606A, 5606B, 5606C, may trailoff with distance from the weld 5604, 5605 over a distance such as anumber of inches from the weld 5604, 5605. The HAZs 5606A, 5606B, 5606Cmay experience a loss of mechanical integrity due to a variety of heatinduced mechanisms set in motion during the welding process. It will beseen in the example of FIG. 56 that inspection of the weld 5604 in asingle inspection run of the inspection robot will inspect HAZs 5606A,5606B, 5606C, and portions of HAZs near the cross-weld 5605 that are inthe region of weld 5604. However, in certain embodiments, a differentinspection operation may be performed to fully inspect the cross-weld5605, for example with a direction of travel of the inspection robotalong the cross-weld 5605. The size of the HAZ is generally understoodby one of skill in the art contemplating a particular system and havingthe benefit of the present disclosure, and may be based on informationprovided by a manufacturer of the inspection surface, the welder, anoperator of the inspection surface (and/or of the equipment embodyingthe inspection surface), and/or based on experience of failures,maintenance, fatigue, or the like associated with the inspectionsurface. In certain embodiments, the size of the HAZ is defined by aregulatory requirement, a policy (e.g., of an operator, manufacturer,and/or other entity associated with the inspection surface or acomponent thereof), and/or according to standard industry practice—forexample a regulatory inspection requirement may define a 3-inchinspection zone around the weld, regardless of the HAZ indicated by theinspection surface material and welding characteristics. The descriptionutilizing the HAZ herein is a non-limiting example, as embodimentsherein support inspection of selected region(s) of an inspection surfaceregardless of the reason for the inspection, or the way that the regionto be inspected is selected.

Referring to FIG. 57, a cross-section depiction 5700 of a weld 5704 andsurrounding plates 5702A, 5702B with Heat-Affected Zones 5706A, 5706B oneither side of the weld 5704 is schematically depicted. Current practicein non-destructive testing (NDT) of the weld integrity would involvemovement of a sensor system, relative to the length of the weld 5704.The sensor system may include such as a time-of-flight sensor system,eddy current sensor system, phased array UT system, x-ray system,magnetic system, and the like depending on the material and theaccessibility of the weld. Additional passes along the length of theweld 5704, one on each side of the weld 5704, are utilized in previouslyknown systems to measure the integrity of the HAZ 5706A, 5706B. Aseparate sensing system may be required for the measurement of the HAZ5706A, 5706B as the degradation mechanisms may be different. Forexample, measurement of weld 5704 integrity may include time of flight(TOF) measurements measuring time of flight for both reflection off ofthe weld as well as time of flight to a receiver on the other side ofthe weld. A robotic sensor system may be configured such that, whentraveling linearly along a weld line there are one or more TOF sensorsystems on either side of the weldment. Ultrasonic energy may betransmitted into the weld and the reflected acoustic energy is measuredon the same side of the weld. Ultrasonic energy transmitted into oneside of the weld may bounce off of the weld and be measured on the farside of the weld.

Referencing FIG. 58, an example display output is schematicallydepicted. The example display output may be generated by any systems,procedures, components, or other aspects of the disclosure as set forthherein. The example of FIG. 58 is an illustrative depiction to depictcertain aspects of the present disclosure, and is non-limiting. Theinformation determined by an inspection robot performing inspectionoperations may be of any type, including information such as thatdepicted in FIG. 58, or any other type of information available inresponse to inspection operations set forth herein.

The example of FIG. 58 includes a thickness map 5802, depictingthickness of the inspection surface substrate (e.g., tank thickness,pipe wall thickness, etc.) over the inspection area. In the example ofFIG. 58, the lower consistent region depicts the weld, which may displaythicker or thinner returns, depending upon the weld characteristics andUT processing operations. Data such as that depicted in the thicknessmap 5802 may be generated using a C-scan, or time-motion scan. In theexample of FIG. 58, a first return map 5804 depicts a first return froma back wall of the inspection surface, and displays mid-wall featuressuch as cracking. Returns from the nominal or expected location (e.g.,the lower, consistent line to the right side of the return map 5804 inthe example of FIG. 58) show areas of the inspection surface whereinspection operations do not show mid-wall cracking or degradation. Datasuch as that depicted in the return map 5804 may be generated using aB-scan, or brightness mode scan. In the example of FIG. 58, an orientedscan 5808, built from slices of the first return map 5804, is depicted,which depicts the width of features detected in the first return map5804. For example, the oriented scan may depict the width of cracks orvoids detected in the first return map 5804. In the example of FIG. 58,the orientation scan 5808 may be generated utilizing an S-scan and/or aD-scan. The example of FIG. 58 includes a peak return map 5810, depictedvoltage/amplitude returns over time, and may be determined using peakdetection algorithms, and/or gates (e.g., time cut-offs and/or windows).Data such as that depicted in the peak return map 5810 may be generatedusing an A-scan. The selected data and depiction of inspection resultsare non-limiting examples, and the utilization of A-scan, B-scan,C-scan, D-scan, and/or S-scan terminology is a non-limiting example toillustrate inspection techniques and processing that may be utilized incertain embodiments. The utilization of a phased array and multi-axisinspection provides for numerous processing techniques to performoperations to perform inspection operations on an inspection surface,and any other operations and/or other combinations in whole or part ofthe illustrative operations may be utilized in addition to, and/or as analternative to, the operations described. In the example of FIG. 58, themaps 5802, 5804, 5810, 5808 are aligned such that a user accessing themaps 5802, 5804, 5810, 5808 can highlight a region and see all of themaps associated with that region, including alignment markings to make adetailed analysis of degradation mechanisms and/or features of theinspection surface at a selected region. The maps 5802, 5804, 5810,5808, where utilized, may be displayed in real time (e.g., mapsconstructed as the inspection operations are performed) and/oraccessible after the inspection operations and processing are completed.In certain embodiments, maps 5802, 5804, 5810, 5808 may be displayedduring operations (e.g., to an inspection operator), and further bedisplayed, potentially after post-processing, calibration, etc., to alater user including the inspection operator, a consumer, a regulator,an operator of a system including the weld surface (e.g., an operator ofa plant including a pipe that formed the inspection surface), amaintenance person, etc. The maps 5802, 5804, 5810, 5808 as depicted ateach stage may be the same or distinct, including updates according topreferences of the user, information sought by the user, updates tocalibrations and/or processing operations (e.g., in response tocalibrations; matching to known or detected parameters of the inspectionsurface and/or offset inspection surfaces; and/or in response to or as apart of sensitivity analysis to calibration, modeling, and/or processingfeatures, etc.).

In certain embodiments, inspection operations herein are performed on aweld and/or on a weld affected region of an inspection surface. Weldoperations induce stresses and other types of damage onto a surface andrelated regions. For example, weld operations may introduce thermalgradients, thermal stress, mechanical stress, and/or chemical stress(e.g., oxidation or other reactions occurring during and after weldoperations). The presence of the weld may also mechanically affect theinspection surface, for example providing for a transition on theinspection surface between materials and/or contact profile, that maycontinue to affect the inspection surface apart from and/or in additionto the direct affect induced by welding operations. The width of a weldaffected region depends upon the type of material, the type of damagemechanism, the environment during and after welding (e.g., ambienttemperature, atmosphere composition, etc.), the temperature and/or heattransfer environment induced during weld operations, the thickness ofthe substrate material and/or thermal mass of affected regions, the typeof welding operations performed, and/or off-nominal operations that mayhave occurred during the weld operations. The weld affected region(e.g., the extent of the weld affected region away from the weld) may bedetermined according to operating experience, industry standards,regulatory requirements, policy options (e.g., defined by an operator,owner, customer, regulatory body, or the like associated with theinspection surface), modeling (e.g., modeling of weld operations and/oroperating conditions of the component including the inspection surfacein view of the weld and/or weld operations), operational history and/oroperational specifications of the inspection surface (e.g., aninspection surface operating at a higher pressure, temperature,gradients of these, extremes of these, transients of these, etc., mayindicate a larger weld affected region than an inspection surfaceoperating a lower values for these), or the like. An example weldaffected region includes the region of the inspection surface that isaffected by the weld operation and/or weld presence that may, in view ofoperating experience, industry history, modeling, estimation, etc.,affect the condition of the inspection surface in a manner that mayexhibit differential degradation and/or wear relative to other parts ofthe inspection surface (e.g., portions of the inspection surface thatare significantly distant from the weld). An example weld affectedregion may include a superset of weld affected regions for a group ofinspection surfaces—for example a weld inspection region may bedetermined to be 12 inches from the weld for a group of inspectionsurfaces, where specific determinations for a particular inspectionsurface might indicate a smaller region (e.g., 6 inches) butnormalization of the weld inspection region for the group of surfacesintroduces efficiencies in inspection operations and/or analysis suchthat a single, larger, weld affected region is utilized for allinspection surfaces in the group. In certain embodiments, a largest weldaffected region determined for the group is utilized, but any other weldaffected region for the group may be utilized, such as an average, astatistically determined value (e.g., an average plus a set number ofstandard deviations, a cut-off such as a value that encompasses asufficient region to cover 95% of the inspection surfaces, etc.). One ofskill in the art, having the benefit of the present disclosure andinformation ordinarily available about a contemplated system and/orinspection surface, can readily determine the weld affected region for aparticular embodiment. Without limitation to any other aspect of thepresent disclosure, certain considerations for determining a weldaffected region include: all of the considerations for a weld andinspection surface set forth herein; the likely extent and progressionof degradation of the inspection surface over the operating life of theinspection surface; maintenance operations and schedule for theinspection surface; response and availability of maintenance operationsto the inspection data; the consequences of failure mechanisms for theinspection surface (e.g., costs of downtime, effect on other parts of asystem including the inspection surface, safety considerations,regulatory considerations, availability to respond and/or repair after afailure, etc.); time between inspection operations; availability ofother detection mechanisms before failure (e.g., position andavailability of the inspection surface to observation, likelihood thatother observation mechanisms would detect a failure before occurrence,etc.); and/or the expected service life of the inspection surface.Example weld affected regions extending from about 3 inches to about 24inches, but may be any value.

Inspection operations herein provide for multi-axis inspection of aninspection surface in a single pass of the inspection apparatus (e.g., apayload including UT sensor phased array(s), positioned and/or operatedon the inspection surface using an inspection robot). Systems andprocedures set forth herein provide for a high capability of inspectionoperations (e.g., high capability to identify and characterizedegradation, wear, corrosion, deposits, cracks, etc.) that are robust todegradation mechanisms that are difficult to detect with previouslyknown systems—for example cracks that propagate in a direction thatpreviously known systems have difficulty detecting. Example inspectionoperations herein can determine, without limitation to any other aspectof the present disclosure: crack presence and/or propagation within theinspection surface; detection of features indicating degradation such asbubbles, voids, wall thinning, wall thickening (e.g., due to corrosionand/or deposits), and/or blisters; de-lamination (e.g., of a coating,composite material, etc.); and/or physical damage (e.g., due to impacts,vibration, prior repair operations, etc.). In certain embodiments, forexample depending upon the inspection speed, amount of processingdesired and/or available, spacing and density of inducing elements ofthe phased array(s), and/or the availability and/or capability of beamsteering and/or beam forming operations as set forth herein for theparticular system, features having an extent of down to 0.08 inches(with regard to any axis) are readily detectable for a particularsystem, while maintaining inspection capability and speed that farexceeds currently available systems. Further, the mixed orientation(s)of the phased array(s) on example systems provide for the ability todetect features in any orientation, including, for example, a crack thatis propagated parallel to a rastering direction of a payload, which is adifficult feature to detect for previously known systems.

Further, systems and procedures herein provide for these high capabilityinspection operations that are more efficient to execute—including theability to inspect larger areas, perform inspections more quickly,perform inspections with no down-time and/or reduced down-time, and thatcan be performed in confined spaces, high temperature areas, and/orother areas where previously known systems require manual interventionand consequent risks to personnel and/or high maintenance interactionssuch as lockout/tagout, confined space, and/or elevated operationprocedures. Accordingly, systems and procedures herein provide for anenhanced ability to perform inspections, as well as providing for anability to perform inspections that would not be performed usingpreviously known systems (e.g., previously known systems introduceprohibitive costs to inspection operations, leading to: mitigation usingenhanced service and/or maintenance procedures; acceptance of riskrather than performing inspections; overdesign of components to obviatethe need for inspections; reducing the service life of components and/orimplementing an increased frequency for component replacement schedules;and/or performing sampling inspections and relying upon the sampling topredict failures in uninspected regions). Further, systems andprocedures herein provided for enhanced inspection operations as a partof overall system management, for example: increasing inspectionfrequency and/or coverage; allowing for increased utilization ofpreventative aspects of system management instead of risk acceptance inthe design; reducing costs otherwise introduced by component overdesign;reducing costs introduced by component replacement schedules; and/orreducing costs introduced by enhanced service and/or maintenanceschedules.

In certain embodiments, the capability to operate, support, command, andcollect and process data from multiple phased arrays operating on apayload of an inspection robot provides for numerous benefits hereinrelative to previously known systems. UT phased arrays provide a highrate of data during inspection operations, which data requires bothoperative processing (e.g., command of phased array elements to executebeam forming and/or beam steering operations, as well as nominaloperation to command the inducement operations of the phased arrays evenwithout beam forming and/or beam steering adjustments) and analyticalprocessing (e.g., determining what is indicated by the return data,gating and/or windowing data, performing synthetic steering operations,etc.), provision of couplant to the arrays, positioning operations ofthe inspection robot, and/or rastering operations of the payload(s)during inspection operations. Additionally, physical support of theinspection robot, positioning of the payloads over relevant regions ofthe inspection surface during inspection operations, and delivery ofpower, commands, and couplant to the payload, and receipt of data fromthe UT phased arrays, provide numerous challenges that are not overcomein previously known systems. In addition to the described systems,components, and procedures herein, any features, systems, components,and/or procedures as set forth in U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/813,701 entitled “INSPECTION ROBOT” and filed on 9 Mar. 2020 may beutilized herein, in cooperation with elements of the present disclosure.U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/813,710 is incorporated herein byreference in the entirety for all purposes.

Referencing FIG. 59, an example system for performing a multi-direction(e.g., inspection using a number of axes), single-pass (e.g., inspectingthe number of axes in a single pass of the inspection robot and/or aninspection array), inspection of an inspection surface 5903 isschematically depicted. The example system includes an inspection robot5902 that moves in a direction of travel 5904 on an inspection surface5903. The inspection robot 5902 may be of any type, and in certainembodiments includes an inspection robot body formed of a housing, andincluding a couplant tether to an operator. In certain embodiments, theinspection robot 5902 may be self-contained without a tether, forexample where a couplant reservoir and/or power storage thereon issufficient to provide power and couplant for operations of theinspection robot 5902 during an inspection operation. In certainembodiments, the inspection robot includes sufficient data storageand/or data processing power positioned thereon such that communicationswith an external computing device are not needed during inspectionoperations. In certain embodiments, the inspection robot includessufficient wireless communications (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, line of sightoptical communications, etc.) such that data communication through thetether is not needed during inspection operations, even where theinspection robot lacks sufficient data storage and/or data processingpower to perform inspection operations without external data storageand/or processing assistance. Any operations set forth herein to providecommands, process data, and/or store data, may be performed utilizingresources directly positioned on the inspection robot, positioned on anexternal device, and/or a combination of these.

In certain embodiments, the couplant tether, where present, provides forany or all of power provision, couplant provision, and/or datacommunication between the inspection robot 5902 and an external deviceor devices. Example external devices include, without limitation, apower supply (e.g., providing configured power to the inspection robot,such as a 12V or 24V DC supply, and/or a 110V AC supply, although anypower supply may be utilized), a couplant supply (e.g., a couplantreservoir and/or couplant pump), and/or an external computing device(e.g., an operator laptop, operator mobile device, local computingdevice located at a system including the inspection surface, a cloudcomputing device, a remotely connected computing device, etc.).Operations of an external computing device may include: data storage(e.g., storage of raw data, processed data, calibrations utilized,calibrations available, training data, etc.); data processing (e.g.,processing of raw data, enhanced processing for beam forming, beamsteering, and/or inspection feature detection, and/or overlaying of dataon a virtual inspection surface such as depicted in FIG. 59); commanddetermination (e.g., determining and/or providing commands forinspection robot movement, rastering device operations, inducing elementoperations of phased array(s), commands to other sensors such as visualimaging devices, time-of-flight sensors, mechanical propertydetermination of the inspection surface, etc.); execution of anobservation interface (e.g., displaying inspection information to asupervisor, administrator, customer, operator of a system including theinspection surface, etc.); and/or execution of an iterative improvementalgorithm (e.g., post-processing analysis; verification and/or scenariooperations for calibrations; operation of machine learning algorithms;adding inspection data or portions thereof to a training corpus,including allowing for tagging and/or classification of data elements,etc.).

The example inspection robot 5902 may be configured to move along theinspection surface 5903 in any manner, including without limitationmoving by driving wheels (not shown) in contact with the inspectionsurface 5903 in a controllable and/or schedule manner. In certainembodiments, the inspection robot 5902 is engaged to the inspectionsurface 5903 by gravity (e.g., for a horizontal and/or sufficientlyhorizontal surface), using magnetic coupling (e.g., magnetized wheelsand/or hubs engaged to a ferrous substrate of the inspection surface5903), or by any other mechanism.

The example inspection robot 5902 includes a payload 5908 having UTphased arrays mounted thereon, configured in a position to interrogatethe inspection surface 5903 and thereby perform a UT inspection of thesurface. The payload 5908 may be mounted to the inspection robot 5902 inany manner, including mounting on a rail allowing for reciprocatingmovement 5917,5918 (e.g., rastering back and forth) relative to theinspection robot 5902 and/or inspection surface 5903. The payload 5908thereby provides for physical support of the UT phased arrays andexecution of movement of the UT phased arrays along the inspectionsurface 5903 during inspection operations. Any example UT phasedarray(s) as set forth throughout the disclosure may be utilized in theexample of FIG. 59.

The example inspection robot 5902 includes a rastering device 5910operatively coupled to the payload 5908, and configured to execute thereciprocating motion 5917,5918. Example and non-limiting rasteringdevices 5910 include, without limitation, a worm gear actuator, a linearactuator, and/or a motor (e.g., a servo motor, stepper motor, etc.)combined with a rotary-linear linkage (e.g., gear, crank, scotch yoke,etc.). The rastering device 5910 may be powered by any source, includingat least electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic. In certain embodiments,the rastering device 5910 may be configured to perform a specifiedrastering operation, such as from a first position along the rasteringmotion 5917, 5918 to a second position along the rastering motion 5917,5918 (and back), and/or may be configured to move to any commandableposition within the range of the available motion 5917,5918. The typeand capability of the rastering device 5910 is not limited, and any typeor capability of the rastering device 5910 may be utilized in certainembodiments, for example depending upon the operations and capability ofthe inspection robot 5902 that are implemented for a given embodiment.The extent of the reciprocating motion 5917,5918 is sufficient toperform inspection operations, for example having an extent of at leastthe width of the weld affected region (also referred to herein as theheat affected zone) 5914, and/or of a portion of the weld affectedregion 5914 that is to be supported by the payload 5908 (e.g., at leasthalf of the weld affected region 5914 where two reciprocating payloadscombine to inspect the weld affected region 5914). An example rasteringdevice 5910 includes a reciprocating motion 5917,5918 capability that isdouble the width of the weld affected region 5914 plus the width of theweld 5916—for example FIG. 86 and the related description. An examplerastering device 5910 has a reciprocating motion 5917,5918 capability ofat least 3 inches, between 70 mm and 200 mm, and/or at least 15 inches.

The example inspection robot 5902 includes an inspection controller5906. The example inspection controller 5906 includes one or morecircuits configured to functionally execute operations of the controller5906. The example inspection controller 5906 is depicted as a singledevice for clarity of the present description, but may include multipledevices, a distributed device, and/or may be positioned, in whole orpart, on other parts of the system (e.g., on an external device incommunication with the inspection robot 5902). The example inspectioncontroller 5906 may include any aspect of any circuits, controllers,sensors, actuators, or other control devices as set forth throughout thepresent disclosure. In certain embodiments, elements of the inspectioncontroller 5906 may be embodied as executable instructions stored on acomputer readable medium, configured such that a processor executing theinstructions performs one or more operations of the inspectioncontroller 5906 set forth herein. In certain embodiments, elements ofthe inspection controller 5906 may be embodied as a sensor responsive toinstructions of other elements of the inspection controller 5906 and/orfrom an external device (e.g., an operator computing device such as alaptop, tablet, mobile device, workstation, etc.), as a sensor providinginspection data (or other data, such as confirmation values, statusvalues, diagnostic values, calibration values, etc.) to other elementsof the inspection controller 5906 and/or to an external device, as anactuator responsive to instructions of other elements of the inspectioncontroller 5906 and/or an external device, and/or as an actuatorproviding feedback data (e.g., position feedback, status feedback,diagnostic feedback, etc.) to other elements of the inspectioncontroller 5906 and/or to an external device. In certain embodiments,elements of the inspection controller 5906 may be embodied as a dataacquisition device, present on the inspection robot 5902 and/or on anexternal device, configured to capture raw data and/or processed datafrom any data provider in the system, including at least sensors,imaging devices, the UT phased arrays, actuators, or the like. Incertain embodiments, elements of the inspection controller 5906 may beembodied as data storage elements configured to store sensor data (e.g.,including raw data and/or processed data), any other data provided bysensors or actuators set forth herein, confirmation data (e.g., faults,status, calibrations, etc.), or the like. In certain embodiments,elements of the inspection controller 5906 may be embodied ascommunication devices, for example to accept commands, exerciseinterfaces, and/or exchange data with external devices. In certainembodiments, elements of the inspection controller 5906 may beimplemented as logic circuits and/or hardware configurations, structuredto respond to system conditions and thereby implement one or moreoperations of the inspection controller 5906 as set forth throughout thepresent disclosure.

An example inspection controller 5906 includes a positioning circuitthat provides an inspection position command, and an inspection circuitthat provides a rastering position command and an interrogation command.Further to the example, the inspection robot 5902 is responsive to theinspection position command to move to an inspection position (e.g., aposition along the direction of travel 5904 where data is to becollected, for example at position 5912 in the example of FIG. 59), therastering device 5910 is responsive to the rastering position command tomove the payload 5908 through at least a portion of the range ofreciprocating motion 5917, 5918, and where the UT phased array(s) areresponsive to the interrogation command to perform a UT inspection ofthe inspection surface 5903 at the inspection position 5912 on at leastthree axes of inspection. Detailed operations of the inspectioncontroller 5906 and related circuits are set forth throughout thepresent disclosure, including at least with regard to FIG. 67 and therelated description.

Referencing FIG. 60, an example inspection surface 5900 is schematicallydepicted. In the example of FIG. 60, the inspection surface 5900includes a weld 5916 and weld affected regions 5914. In certainembodiments, the portion of the inspection surface 5900 corresponding tothe weld affected region(s) 5914 corresponds to an area of theinspection surface 5900 to be inspected. The weld affected region 5914may be any weld affected region as set forth throughout the presentdisclosure. In certain embodiments, the weld affected region 5914extends for several inches on each side of the weld 5916, for exampleabout 6 inches on each side. The reciprocating motion 5917,5918 of thepayload 5908 moves the payload 5908 through the weld affected region5914, providing for inspection of the weld affected region 5914. Incertain embodiments, the reciprocating capability of the rasteringdevice 5910 exceeds the width of the weld affected region 5914, forexample for an inspection robot 5902 having a capability to inspectvarious inspection surfaces 5900 having different sizes of weld affectedregions 5914. Accordingly, the rastering device 5910 may only utilize aportion of the range of the reciprocating motion 5917,5918, operationsof the inspection controller 5906 may command inspection using the UTphased arrays only for taking data relevant to the weld affected region5914 (e.g., to reduce utilization of data collection, processing, and/orstorage resources as the UT phased arrays traverse areas of theinspection surface that are not of interest), and/or the UT phasedarrays may be operated even when traversing areas that are not withinthe weld affected region 5914 (e.g., to simplify inspection operations).

In certain embodiments, a width of the weld affected region 5914 exceedsthe range of the reciprocating motion 5917,5918—for example where theinspection robot 5902 includes more than one payload 5908 that cooperateto inspect the weld affected region 5914 in a single pass, and/or wherethe inspection robot 5902 utilizes more than one pass to inspect theweld affected region 5914. The cooperating payloads may be mounted onthe inspection robot 5902 side-by-side to provide for a full range ofinspection across they weld affected region 5914, and/or may bedisplaced in the direction of travel 5904—for example with two payloadsin front of the inspection robot 5902 but displaced in the direction oftravel 5904, with one payload in front of the inspection robot 5902 anda second payload positioned behind the inspection robot 5902, or withboth payloads positioned behind the inspection robot 5902. In certainembodiments, because inspection operations of systems and procedures ofthe present disclosure provide for improved inspection capability,performing more than one pass to complete inspection of the weldaffected region 5914 nevertheless provides for an improvement in theinspection outcome relative to previously known systems. In certainembodiments, because inspection operations of systems and procedures ofthe present disclosure provide for improved speed of inspectionoperations, by a factor of 5× to 10× faster for a typical system,performing more than one pass to complete inspection of the weldaffected region 5914 nevertheless provides for an improvement in theinspection completion time relative to previously known systems. Anexample system includes the inspection robot 5902 inspecting a weldaffected region 5914 on a first side of the weld 5916 on a firstinspection pass, and inspecting the weld affected region 5914 on asecond side (opposite the first side) on a second inspection pass.

Referencing FIG. 61, an example portion of a payload 5908 isschematically depicted, including two phased arrays 6102, 6104 that areconfigured to perform a UT inspection of the weld affected region 5914on more than one axis. The example of FIG. 61 is a schematic bottom viewof the payload 5908 portion, for example the bottom side of a shoe orsled of the payload as described throughout the present disclosure. Inthe example of FIG. 61, the UT phased arrays 6102, 6104 are linearone-dimensional phased arrays, that may include any number of elements6106. The number of elements is selected to provide the desiredinspection characteristics and resolution, as well as processingcapabilities and beam management (beam forming and/or beam steering). Incertain embodiments, at least about 4 elements should be present foreach phased array 6102, 6104, but may be up to about 256 elements ormore. An example payload 5908 includes two phased arrays 6102, 6104,each including 64 elements. It will be understood that a lower end ofthe number of elements may be related to one or more of: the imposeddistance between elements to provide the desired inspectioncharacteristics; the desired characteristics of beam management,including creation of interference artefacts and focusingcharacteristics; and/or the extent of inspection for each inspectionoperation (e.g., reference 7752, FIG. 77, and the related description).It will be understood that an upper end of the number of elements may berelated to one or more of: computing resources available to command UTelements, receive UT data, communicate UT data, and/or process the UTdata; physical and/or structural limitations of the payload such asweight, size, and acoustic isolation of the UT phased arrays from eachother; physical limitations of delivering couplant and/or power to thepayload; and/or physical limitations of the rastering device 5910 suchas reciprocating weight limits, speed, and/or range of motion. Incertain embodiments, utilization of about 64 elements allows for aninspection extent 7752 of about 1.5 inches for each reciprocating motion5917,5918 operation, providing for greatly improved total inspectionspeed and resolution over previously known systems.

The example of FIG. 61 includes an acoustic isolator 6108 extendingthrough the payload 5908 and providing acoustic isolation (e.g.,preventing cross-talk) between the phased arrays 6102, 6104. The exampleacoustic isolator 6108 may be of any type sufficient to supportinspection operations, including material selection (e.g., an elastomer,cardboard, air gap, and/or other sound insulating material), and furthermay have a size, position, thickness, and/or extent sufficient tosupport inspection operations. In certain embodiments, positioning ofthe acoustic isolator 6108 between direct line-of-sight orientations ofthe phased array 6102, 6104 elements is sufficient. In certainembodiments, an extent of the acoustic isolator 6108 exceeds theline-of-sight orientations, for example to extend the acoustic pathbetween array 6102, 6104 elements to further reduce interference ofcross-talk between array elements. In certain embodiments, the acousticisolator 6108 is positioned to direct sound energy toward the sensor,and to absorb sound energy away from the sensor—for example in a voidcorner of the substrate block housing a diagonally positioned UT sensor,to prevent reflected sound creating significant noise reflecting fromthe unused volume within the substrate block. An example acousticisolator 6108 completely divides a sled or payload, for example with aportion of the payload mounted on each side of the acoustic isolator6108. An example acoustic isolator 6108 is an insert or other interposedportion between at least a part of the shortest acoustic path betweenelements of the arrays 6102, 6104 to be acoustically separated. One ofskill in the art, having the benefit of the present disclosure, canreadily determine an acoustic isolator 6108 configuration, including forexample the positioning, geometry, and materials, sufficient forembodiments of the present disclosure. Certain considerations forconfiguring an acoustic isolator 6108 include, without limitation, anyone or more of: a speed of sound in the material(s) of the inspectionsurface; a speed of sound in the substrate material(s) of the sled orpayload; a speed of sound and/or sound dampening characteristic of theacoustic isolator 6108 material; a distance of a delay line between eacharray 6102, 6104 and/or a speed of sound in a couplant materialpositioned within each delay line; the schedule of inspectionoperations, including excitation and/or detection, for each array 6102,6104, and/or further including a noise decay trajectory within anycomponent of interest (e.g., the inspection surface, a substrate of thesled or payload, etc.); the availability of processing resources toperform deconvolution operations (e.g., allowing for some cross-talk),including the availability of sufficient characterization of excitationsignals and response to allow for noise removal of cross-talk inacoustically coupled arrays; the inspection surface thickness and/orinspection depth of interest (e.g., allowing for time cut-offs or othersimple processing operations to remove some potential cross-talk); theinspection precision that is desired for the system (e.g., where a firstlow precision system may operate sufficiently without an acousticisolator and/or with a low capability acoustic isolator, for examplewhere processed noise removal is sufficient, but a second high precisionsystem may utilize a high capability acoustic isolator); and/or any ofthese with frequency considerations taken into account (e.g.,consideration of frequency specific sound characteristics such astransmission and decay, and/or using distinct excitation frequencies toenhance deconvolution of excitation signals of the arrays 6102, 6104, orthe like).

An example system includes a first UT phased array 6102 in a firstorientation (orthogonal to, or directly facing, the inspection surfacein the example), and the second UT phased array 6104 tilted (e.g., atabout 45 degrees, but selectable) relative to the first UT phased array6102. Descriptions herein that describe a relationship to the inspectionsurface 5903 should be understood to contemplate, additionally oralternatively, a relationship to a local geometry of the inspectionsurface 5903. For example, wherein an axis is described as orthogonal tothe inspection surface, and/or at an angle relative to the inspectionsurface, such a description contemplates that the described relationshipis respective to the inspection surface in the region of the inspectionrobot, the payload, the phased array, and/or the inspection position.Where an inspection surface is a portion of a pipe wall, for example,other regions of the inspection surface have a different orientation(e.g., 90 degrees around the pipe from the inspection location), and thedescription of a relationship to the inspection surface references thelocal geometry of the inspection surface near the feature beingdescribed in relation to the inspection surface.

In certain embodiments, the UT phased arrays 6102, 6104 are linear andparallel to the direction of travel 5904, and orthogonal to thedirection of the reciprocating motion 5917, 5918. While this arrangementprovides certain benefits—for example maximizing the extent 7752inspected during each reciprocating motion—other arrangements arepossible and may be implemented in certain embodiments. For example,fabrication and/or configuration of the payloads 5908 and/or theinspection robot 5902, operation of the rastering device 5910, and/orinspection motion orientation relative to features of interest (e.g.,expected propagation direction of cracks) may be improved with otherarrangements, and are contemplated herein. Without limitation to anyother aspect, arrangements of the linear UT phased arrays 6102, 6104that are off-axis from the direction of travel 5904 (e.g., by up toabout 30 degrees, but not limited to this), that are off-axis from beingorthogonal to the reciprocating motion 5917,5918 (e.g., by up to about30 degrees, but not limited to this), and/or where the reciprocatingmotion 5917, 5918 direction is not orthogonal to the direction of travel5904 (e.g., by up to about 45 degrees, but not limited to this), arecontemplated herein. Further, the reciprocating motion 5917,5918 may notbe linear, for example traversing through a curved motion duringrastering operations. It will be seen that full inspection coverage canbe achieved in all of these arrangements through control of theinspection robot 5902 positioning during inspection operations, andfurther that the single-pass multi-axis operation of inspectionoperations herein can render the system agnostic, to a large extent, tothe axes of: the direction of travel 5904, the reciprocating motion5917,5918, and the alignment of the UT phased arrays 6102, 6104, as theinspection operations set forth herein provide a multi-axis inspectionthat covers all desired axes of inspection within a given referenceframe. The physical arrangement of the UT phased arrays 6102, 6104, suchas depicted in the example of FIG. 61 and otherwise described herein,provide for ready inspection in two selected axes. In certainembodiments, a third selected axis of inspection is provided by beamsteering operations of at least one of the UT phased arrays, for exampleusing the phased array 6104. In certain embodiments, the third selectedaxis is on a plane with the nominal inspection axis for the UT phasedarray 6104, and is rotated by a selected angle according to the beamsteering operations. The rotation may be about 30 degrees, but mayadditionally or alternatively be any achievable angle, for examplebetween about 20 degrees and 60 degrees, and/or between about 10 degreesand 80 degrees. In certain embodiments, one or more, or all, of theinspection axes may be achieved using beam steering operations, forexample with the UT phased array 6104 arranged at an intermediate anglebetween the two steered axes, with steering operations in one directionproviding inspection on a first axis, and steering operations in theother direction providing inspection on a second axis. In certainembodiments, steering for more than one axis can be utilized tocompensate for observed surface conditions (e.g., on a curved, dented,or damaged surface), to reduce maximum steering requirements (e.g.,steering 15 degrees each way, instead of an unsteered and a 30 degreeaxis), to compensate for off-nominal conditions (e.g., fabricationtolerances during fabrication and/or assembly of the inspection robot5902 and/or payload 5908, changes to the payload arrangement duringoperations, etc., that result in the payload 5908 being in anoff-nominal position), and/or to investigate other axes duringinspection operations (e.g., adding additional angles to inspectsensitive areas, to check features noted during the inspection atadditional angles, etc.). The example of FIG. 61 provides for two linearUT phased arrays, but it will be understood that a given phased arraymay be two-dimensional, for example with a grid arrangement of elements,such that steering can be performed in two dimensions, allowing forrotation in a plane aligned with the linear UT elements, and/or rotationin a plane parallel to the inspection surface 5903. The steering optionsfor a grid arrangement of elements are described in a particularreference frame for clarity of the description, but it will beunderstood that steering can be performed relative to other referenceframes, including without limitation relative to the direction oftravel, direction of the weld, direction of the reciprocating motion,orientation of the payload, etc.

Referencing FIG. 62, an example portion of a payload 5908 isschematically depicted, including two phased arrays 6102, 6104 that areconfigured to perform a UT inspection of the weld affected region 5914on more than one axis. The example of FIG. 62 is a schematic side viewof the payload 5908 portion, for example the bottom side of a shoe orsled of the payload as described throughout the present disclosure. Theexample of FIG. 62 is consistent with aspects of the example of FIG. 61.In the example of FIG. 62, the acoustic isolator 6108 is depicted asextending only partially upward within the sled or shoe. The acousticisolator 6108 may extend fully through the shoe or sled, or onlypartially as shown, according to the acoustic characteristics of thephased arrays 6102, 6104, the sled or shoe substrate material, and thelike.

Referencing FIG. 63, an example UT phased array 6304 having a number ofUT elements 6106 is schematically depicted, from either a top or bottomview of the elements 6106. The number of elements may be configurable asdescribed throughout the present disclosure. Referencing FIG. 64, an endview of the UT phased array 6304 is schematically depicted, with eachelement having a linear cross section. In certain embodiments, shapingof the elements may improve performance characteristics of the UT phasedarray 6304, for example providing for improved focusing or beam formingwithin the inspection surface, improved steering operations, and/orimproved post processing (e.g., synthetic steering, processing ofA-scans, B-scans, C-scans, D-scans, and/or S-scans, etc.). ReferencingFIG. 65, an example UT phased array 6304 includes curved elements, wherethe curvature may be a selected shape such as a hyperbolic curve.Additionally or alternatively, the curvature may be cylindrical (e.g., across-section of a circle), parabolic, or another selected curve. Theexample of FIG. 65 depicts a symmetrical curve—for example centered on avertex of the selected curve, but the elements need not be symmetrical.Referencing FIG. 66, an example UT phased array 6304 includes curvedelements that are asymmetrical, but that still include the vertex of thecurve within the element. In certain embodiments (not shown), theelements do not include the vertex of the curve. The elements may beshaped either concave upward or concave downward, and the selection ofany shaping, if present, including the selected curve, which portion ofthe curve, and symmetry, may be made according to the operationsenhanced by the inspection, for example improving beam steeringoperations (and which direction), improving focusing operations (and thedepth or depths to be focused), and/or the type of processing to beimproved. Additionally or alternatively, all of the elements of a givenUT phased array 6304 do not need to have the same shape. For example,two or more groups of elements of a given UT phased array 6304 may havea first shape (e.g., one group to improve steering at a first angle, andanother group to improve steering at a second angle), and/or alternatingshapes (e.g., odd elements have a first shape, and even elements have asecond shape). In a further example, grouping of elements may providefor capability differential while keeping a simplified steering scheme(e.g., control of element phasing, amplitude, and interferencepatterns), while alternating elements may provide for capabilitydifferential while keeping similar inspection capability across the fullextent 7752. In certain embodiments, grouping and alternating may bemixed, for example with a first group of elements alternating with asecond group of elements, for example to provide a hybrid improvement ofsimplified operation and capability coverage across the extent 7752.

Referencing FIG. 67, an example inspection controller 5906 isschematically depicted. The example inspection controller 5906 may beutilized, in whole or in part, as a part of any system and/or to performall or a part of any operations or procedures set forth in the presentdisclosure. Additionally or alternatively, the example inspectioncontroller 5906 may be combined, in whole or part, and/or include inwhole or part, any other controller, circuit, computing device, or othersimilar aspect as set forth throughout the present disclosure.

The example inspection controller 5906 includes a positioning circuit6702 that provides an inspection position command 6708. In certainembodiments the positioning circuit 6702 provides the inspectionposition command 6708, and the inspection robot 5902 progresses to theinspection position 5912, to prepare for an inspection operation at theinspection position 5912. When inspection operations are completed, thepositioning circuit 6702 provides the next inspection position command6708, and the inspection robot 5902 progresses to the next inspectionposition 5912. In certain embodiments, for example where completeinspection coverage is indicated for the inspection surface, and where asingle payload 5908 is present, and/or where more than one payload 5908is utilized to provide coverage at a given inspection position 5912, atypical next inspection position command 6708 includes progression ofthe inspection robot 5902 in the direction of travel 5904 by about theinspection extent 7752. In certain embodiments, some inspection gaps areacceptable (e.g., where inspection of a fraction of the inspectionsurface 5903, such as 10%, 50%, 75%, etc., is acceptable), and themovement may be greater than the extent 7752. In certain embodiments,some inspection overlap is desirable, and the movement may be less thanthe extent 7752. Additionally or alternatively, an initial inspectionposition command 6708 may provide movement over an extended region ofthe inspection surface 5903, to the initial inspection position.Additionally or alternatively, an inspection position command 6708 maybe provided to move the inspection robot 5902 around an obstacle, to anarea of interest, to another general region to be inspected, and/or tochange inspection direction (e.g., inspecting a weld affected region5914 on a first side of the weld 5916 in one direction, and inspectingthe opposing weld affected region 5914 in the other direction). Incertain embodiments, for example where more than one payload 5908 ispresent and each payload 5908 inspects a distinct region of the weldaffected area 5914 (e.g., distinct in the direction of travel, such as afirst payload in front of the inspection robot 5902 and a second payloadbehind the inspection robot 5902), the inspection position command 6708may be distinct from the extent 7752 while providing for full inspectioncoverage and/or overlapping inspection coverage. For example, inspectionduty of the front payload may be assigned to odd inspection positions5912, and inspection duty of the back payload may be assigned to eveninspection positions 5912, such that each incremental movement of theinspection position command 6708 may be up to twice the extent 7752while providing for a full coverage inspection of the inspection surface5903 in the weld affected region 5914. Any other operations and/orutilization of the inspection position command 6708 set forth inembodiments herein may be supported by the positioning circuit 6702.

The example inspection controller 5906 includes an inspection circuit6704 configured to provide a rastering position command 6710 and aninterrogation command 6712. An example system includes the rasteringdevice 5910 responsive to the rastering position command 6710 to movethe payload 5908 through at least a portion of the reciprocating motion5917,5918 of the payload 5908, providing proximity of the payload 5908(and thus the UT phased arrays) to the inspection surface 5903 throughthe weld affected region 5914. In certain embodiments, the rasteringdevice 5910 moves the payload 5908 in a single direction at eachinspection position 5912 (e.g., left-to-right at a first position, thenright-to-left at a next position, etc.). In certain embodiments, theinspection circuit 6704 provides for simultaneous movement of theinspection robot 5902 during the rastering operations, for examplecoordinating movement of the payload 5908 and inspection robot 5902 toprovide sufficient coverage of the inspection surface 5903 for thepurposes of the inspection, despite some gaps that may be present in theinspection due to the simultaneous movement of the payload 5908 andinspection robot 5902. In certain embodiments, for example where thepayload 5908 includes a degree of freedom of movement in the directionof travel 5904 (e.g., where the payload 5908 can be extended furtheraway from the inspection robot 5902 or retracted toward the inspectionrobot 5902), greater freedom of movement of the inspection robot 5902during rastering operations may be available, for example where thepayload 5908 is extended fully, inspection operations are performed withsimultaneous movement and rastering while the payload 5908 isprogressively retracted, which allows for inspection operations to beperformed through two or more inspection positions 5912 without a lossof inspection coverage, or with a reduced loss of inspection coverage.In the example, inspection operations may be continued with the payload5908 retracted, and/or the inspection operations may be reset (e.g.,extending the payload 5908 and/or adjusting the inspection robot 5902position), whereupon several inspection positions 5912 can be performedsequentially while the inspection robot 5902 continues to move. Further,the extension or retraction of payloads 5908 may be utilized toaccommodate inspection position 5912 lanes for two payloads 5908 atdistinct positions in the direction of travel 5904 (e.g., reference FIG.66 and the related description). Accordingly, an example inspectionoperation includes sequential operations, in order of, and repeating asneeded: 1) position the inspection robot at a first inspection position,2) raster in a first direction and perform the inspection, 3) positionthe inspection robot at a next inspection position, and 4) raster in asecond direction and perform the inspection. However, it can be seenthat the inspection robot movement and rastering operations of thepayload are not exclusive to each other, and do not need to be performedindependently.

An example system includes the UT phased arrays responsive to theinterrogation command(s) 6712 to perform a UT inspection of theinspection surface 5903 at the inspection position 5912 on more than oneaxis of inspection. In certain embodiments, the UT phased arrays arepositioned physically to inspect two separate axes of inspection inresponse to the interrogation command 6712. In certain embodiments, atleast one of the UT phased arrays is configured to further inspect at athird axis of inspection, for example adding another axis of inspectionutilizing beam steering operations to inspect two axes of inspection inresponse to the interrogation command 6712. An example system includesone UT phased array that inspects two axes on a plane (e.g., alignedwith the linear elements of the UT phased array), and another UT phasedarray that inspects a third axis that is rotated relative to the plane.In a further example, the two axes on a plane include a first axis thatis directed into the inspection surface at an approximately normal angle(which may be unsteered or steered as set forth herein), and a secondaxis that is directed into the inspection surface at a selected angle(e.g., which is steered) and progressing either forward (e.g., towardthe direction of travel 5904) or rearward (e.g., away from the directionof travel 5904). In a further example, the third axis, provided by theother UT phased array, is directed into the inspection surface at aselected angle (e.g., defined by the physical arrangement of the UTphased array, such as depicted by UT phased array 6102 in FIG. 62), andtransverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the direction of travel 5904. Incertain embodiments, the inspection axis that is transverse to thedirection of travel 5904 may be pointed toward the weld 5916, forexample to ensure inspection coverage up to and/or through the weld5916. Additionally or alternatively, the inspection axis that istransverse to the direction of travel 5904 may by pointed away from theweld 5916, either where that inspection arrangement provides sufficientdata for the inspection, and/or where the rastering device 5910 providessufficient movement of the payload 5908 to provide inspection coverageto the weld. In certain embodiments, inspection operations with an axispointed away from the weld 5916 may be utilized for any reason, forexample where a single payload 5908 provides for inspection of weldaffected regions 5914 on both sides of the weld 5916 with a singlerastering operation (e.g. traversing the weld and both regions in asingle movement), where the inspection robot 5902 inspects the secondweld affected region 5914 in a same orientation as the first weldaffected region 5914 (e.g., where the inspection robot 5902 does notturn around on a return trip, but simply moves across the weld). Incertain embodiments, an additional phased array may be provided to allowfor a transverse inspection axis to have a desired configuration withrespect to the weld 5916 even in the described circumstances (e.g.,reference FIG. 76 and the related description). The inspectionoperations of the UT phased arrays may be responsive to theinterrogation command 6712, and/or the rastering position command 6710(e.g., using a predetermined inspection frequency during rasteringoperations, and/or modulating the inspection frequency in response to arastering position and/or velocity, including the commanded positionand/or velocity, and/or a feedback position and/or velocity such as aposition feedback value provided by the rastering device). In certainembodiments, all three axes of inspection are performed during a singlerastering movement (e.g., right-to-left), with rastering movementvelocity selected such that the UT phased array inspecting two axes hassufficient time to execute inspection operations in both axes during therastering movement. The described axes geometries are non-limitingexamples. An example system includes the third axis, transverse in theexample, rotated between 15 degrees and 80 degrees relative to the planeincluding the first two axes. An example system includes the first twoaxes on the plane, with a rotated angle difference of between 10 degreesand 75 degrees between these first two axes.

The example inspection controller 5906 includes a beam steering circuit6706 that performs a beam steering operation 6714, for example utilizingthe first UT phased array (and/or whichever UT phased array issupporting more than one inspection axis). In the example, the UT phasedarray supporting more than one inspection axis utilizes the beamsteering operation 6714 to implement at least one of the two inspectionaxes. It will be understood, as described throughout the presentdisclosure, that any, or all, of the inspection axes may be supported bya beam steering operation 6714, and/or utilize beam steering duringcertain operating conditions and/or for certain inspectionconfigurations, while not utilizing beam steering during other operatingconditions and/or inspection configurations. In certain embodiments, thebeam steering operation 6714 includes modulating a phase trajectory 6716along the elements of the UT phased array (e.g., creating a steered wavefront). In certain embodiments, the modulated phase trajectory 6716 mayutilize some or all of the elements of the phased array, for example asset forth in relation to FIGS. 63-65 and the related description. Incertain embodiments, the beam steering operation 6714 may furtherinclude modulating an amplitude trajectory 6718 of elements of the UTphased array, for example to apply a desired focus, to compensate fordistances between elements and inspected portions of the inspectionsurface, to fine tune desired interference operations, to provideidentifying characteristics to portions of the wavefront, or for anyother reason as understood in the art. In certain embodiments, a beamsteering operation 6714 includes performing a synthetic steeringoperation 6720, for example to implement a synthetic aperture for thephased array, to compensate for artefacts in the inspection surface, UTphased array execution, or the like that are not accounted for in thephase trajectory 6716, to reduce or eliminate phase modulationoperations, and/or to perform post-processing that constructs additionalinspection angles or the like from the inspection data. In certainembodiments, for example where sequential inspection positions 5912 havesome overlap, synthetic steering 6720 operations can construct a steeredbeam from measurements taken in adjacent inspection positions 5912,providing for additional views of the inspection data, additional checkson the integrity of the inspection data, and/or providing additionaltraining data for iterative improvement and/or machine learningoperations. The utilization of synthetic steering 6720 operations can beutilized to shift the resource burdens between execution of the phasetrajectory 6716 and/or amplitude trajectory 6718 to post-processing, andaccordingly shift resources between execution control, data storage,data communication, and processing resources, according to thecapabilities and priorities of the system, inspection robot 5902, and/orexternal devices.

In certain embodiments, the phase trajectory 6716 and/or amplitudetrajectory 6718 may be executed in fixed manner, for example by aprogrammable logic circuit (PLC) or other similar hardwareconfiguration, which can provide for high speed and low resourceconsumption steering operations. Additionally or alternatively, one ormore post-processing operations, including selected synthetic steeringoperations, may be provided by a PLC or other similar hardwareconfiguration. In certain embodiments, beam steering operations 6714 maybe performed by a fully capable controller that commands, processes, andcompensates beam steering operations 6714 in real time. In certainembodiments, a combination of implementations may be performed, forexample with a PLC or other hardware configuration performing certainoperations, and a feedback capable controller adjusting operationsand/or performing compensation in addition to the PLC operations.

Certain descriptions herein reference sensor data or raw data. The termssensor data or raw data should be understood broadly, but include atleast one or more of: raw sensed feedback values from UT elements of aphased array; PLC and/or other hardware processed values from the rawsensed feedback values; and/or any other processed values, such asreturn times, thickness values, feature locations, grouped or lumpedvalues from multiple elements, or the like, that at least in certainembodiments may be further utilized in post-processing, compensation,synthetic steering, and/or iterative improvement operations.

Referencing FIG. 68, an example system includes a second payload 6802including a weld inspection sensor. An example weld inspection sensorincludes a time-of-flight sensor that can be used to confirm thepresence, condition, and/or quality of the weld. The example secondpayload 6802 is coupled to a body of the inspection robot 5902, andaccordingly does not move with the reciprocating motion of the rasteringdevice 5910. In certain embodiments, the second payload 6802 may becoupled to the first payload 5908, and/or the weld inspection sensor maybe mounted on the first payload 5908, and accordingly it would move withthe reciprocating motion of the rastering device 5910. For example,mounting the weld inspection sensor on the first payload 5908 mayprovide for more convenient fabrication, reduction in changeover timewhen swapping payloads, or the like. In another example, referencingFIGS. 74-75, coupling the weld inspection sensor to the first payload5908 may allow for positioning of the weld inspection sensor to inspectboth sides of the weld 5916 during the rastering operations (e.g., wherethe weld inspection sensor is mounted such that it will be on both sidesof the weld within the range of the rastering motion). The inclusion ofthe weld inspection sensor allows for the inspection of both the weld5916 and the weld affected area 5914 within a same inspection pass.

An example inspection controller 5906 includes the inspection circuit6704 further providing a weld inspection command 6722, where the weldinspection sensor is responsive to the weld inspection command 6722 toperform a weld inspection of the weld. The inspection circuit 6704 mayprovide any other commands or perform any other operations to executethe weld inspection, such as delaying raster movement (where applicable)to support operations of the weld inspection sensor, adjusting movementof the inspection robot 5902 (e.g., providing sufficient delays inmovement and/or controlling the movement speed, if applicable and ifrequired for operations of the weld inspection sensor, for example wherethe inspection robot 5902 moves continuously through several inspectionpositions 5912), or the like.

An example system includes an imaging sensor, for example a camera,which may image the inspection surface within the visible spectrum,and/or outside the visible spectrum. For example, imaging may beutilized to enhance inspection information, tying pictures and/or videosto areas of interest. In certain embodiments, imaging may allow theinspection surface to be marked, and/or marks to be interpreted (e.g.,during analysis or evaluation, and/or during a subsequent inspectionoperation), confirmation of temperatures, or the like. In certainembodiments, a mark may be made that is not in the visible spectrum(e.g., to avoid the appearance of clutter on the inspection surface),but that is visible—possibly under a UV light and/or with an infraredsensor—to the imaging sensor. Any other type of sensor may be present incertain embodiments, and attached to the payload 5908, attached using aseparate payload (not shown), and/or coupled to a body of the inspectionrobot 5902.

Referencing FIG. 69, an example inspection robot 5902 includes twopayloads 5908,5909, one on each side of the weld 5916. Each payload5908, 5909 includes at least two phased arrays, with support throughphysical orientation and/or beam steering operations as describedthroughout the present disclosure, to perform multi-axis UT inspectionsof the corresponding weld affected regions 5914. The example inspectionrobot 5902 includes a second rastering device 5911 coupled to the secondpayload 5909, and configured to execute reciprocating motion of thesecond payload 5909. The example of FIG. 69 allows for simultaneousinspection of both weld affected regions 5914, completing the fullinspection operation, with multi-axis UT inspection of each weldaffected region 5914, in a single pass of the inspection robot 5902. Inthe example of FIG. 69, the inspection circuit 6704 provides a first andsecond rastering position command 6710 to each rastering device 5910,5911, and first and second interrogation commands 6712 to each payload5908, 5909. The rastering devices 5910, 5911 are responsive to therastering position commands 6710 to perform rastering movement to thepayloads, and the UT phased arrays on each payload are responsive to theinterrogation commands 6712 to perform inspection operations of eachrespective weld affected region 5914.

Referencing FIG. 70, an example system similar to that of FIG. 69 isschematically depicted, where the inspection robot 5902 includesadditional payloads 5952, 6954, including weld inspection sensors thatare positioned on each side of the weld 5916 when the inspection robot5902 is in an inspection position. The example of FIG. 70 further allowsfor inspection of the weld 5916 in the single pass of the inspectionrobot 5902. In certain embodiments, a weld inspection sensor may bemounted on one of the payloads 5908, 5909, positioned such that the weldinspection sensor is capable to inspect both sides of the weld 5916 witha single sensor (e.g., reference FIG. 74 and the related description),by being positioned on a first side of the weld 5916 at a first positionof the corresponding payload, and on a second side of the weld 5916 at asecond position of the corresponding payload. It will be seen thatcontrol operations for such an embodiment can be utilized to preventcollision of the weld inspection sensor with the opposing payload (e.g.,the payload that the weld inspection sensor is not positioned on).Additionally or alternatively, collision of the payloads 5908, 5909 maybe prevented by adjusting the position of the payloads 5908, 5909 alongthe direction of travel 5904, for example providing one payload extendedfurther than the other payload, or providing one payload in front of theinspection robot 5902 and the other payload behind the inspection robot5902.

An example inspection circuit 6704 provides the rastering positioncommands 6710 to each payload 5908, 5909 as a synchronous orasynchronous command. As used herein, a synchronous rastering positioncommand 6710 provides for coordinated movement between the rasteringdevices 5910,5911. Coordinated movement may include movement at the sametime, or movement at separate times. Additionally or alternatively,coordinated movement may relate to positions (e.g., a position of thefirst payload 5908 coordinated with a position of the second payload5911), velocities, acceleration, or other considerations. Additionallyor alternatively, coordinating movements may relate to absolute values(e.g., a position of 5908 as a function of a position of 5902), relativevalues (e.g., consideration of a distance between the payloads, avelocity differential, and/or acceleration differential), and/or limits(e.g., enforcing a minimum distance therebetween, maximum velocitydifferential, etc.). The coordination of movements between the payloadsincludes consideration of any factors relevant to the particular system,such as: power consumption (e.g., for sensors, data acquisition, dataprocessing, and/or rastering devices); data acquisition rates (e.g.,amount of data being collected by the UT phased arrays and/or othersensors in response to movement); data processing rates (e.g.,processing of collected data, steering operations, compensationoperations, capturing of additional data such as imaging data, etc.);couplant flow rates and/or capability (e.g., coupling losses duringmovement, coupling make-up operations due to detected conditions, etc.);data storage values (e.g., available intermediate data storage limitsutilized during data collection and/or processing, data storage impactsdue to loss of communication and/or communication bandwidth limits,etc.); physical system considerations (e.g., load balancing of a centerof mass of the inspection robot as the payloads move, managing forceloads between the inspection robot and the inspection surface, etc.);and/or aesthetic considerations (e.g., moving the payloads in a mannerthat appears to be controlled or competent, and/or that provides forease of operator evaluation of what inspection operations are beingperformed by predictable movement of the payloads). One of skill in theart, having the benefit of the present disclosure and informationreadily available for a contemplated system, can readily determinewhether payload movement should be coordinated, and the parameters ofcoordinated movement between the payloads. Example considerations fordetermining whether the payload movement should be coordinated and theparameters therefore include, without limitation: the relative weight ofpayloads and the inspection robot as a whole; the coupling force of theinspection robot to the inspection surface; the coupling friction of theinspection robot to the inspection surface; response parameters (e.g.,force, power availability, movement rate, etc.) of the rasteringdevices; the amount of data collected, processed, and/or stored duringinspection operations; the immediate conditions of the inspectionsurface that affect any of the foregoing; power availability of theinspection robot; couplant availability and deliver capacity; processingcapability of the inspection robot and/or supporting external devices;data storage capacity of the inspection robot and/or supporting externaldevices; data acquisition rate capability of the inspection robot;communication capacity of the inspection robot with supporting externaldevices; a possibility of collision between payloads based on theconfiguration of the inspection robot; and operational considerationsrelated to the operator ability to determine the status and inspectionstage of the inspection robot (e.g., the availability of diagnosticparameters, operating condition parameters, and/or non-visible statusindicators; line-of-sight quality to observe the inspection robot,etc.). It will be seen that some considerations for controlling themovement of multiple payloads can be understood at design time, and someconsiderations are affected by specific run-time conditions.Accordingly, the inspection circuit 6704, in certain embodiments, canmodulate the rastering position commands 6710 during run-time operationsto respond to run-time conditions, for example adjusting movement of thepayloads to decrease utilization of some limiting resource, to increaseinspection speed in the absence of a limiting resource, etc.

As used herein, an asynchronous rastering position command 6710 allowsfor uncoordinated movement between the rastering devices 5910, 5911. Forexample, an inspection circuit 6704 providing an asynchronous rasteringposition command 6710 may command both rastering devices 5910, 5911 toexecute the reciprocating movement, and allowing both devices to performindependent operations without consideration to the movement of theother device. In certain embodiments, the rastering position commands6710 may be provided in a mixed manner, for example commandingasynchronously unless operating conditions appear that indicatecoordinated movement (e.g., a change in friction of the inspectionsurface, the presence of an obstacle, a reduction in data communicationcapacity, loss, or reduction in line-of-sight to the inspection robot,etc.).

Referencing FIG. 71, an illustrative inspection angle diagram consistentwith certain embodiments of the present disclosure is schematicallydepicted. The example of FIG. 71 depicts example inspection angles foreach of two phased array UT inspection elements, with a first elementdirected at an angle 7152 toward (e.g., approximately perpendicular) theinspection surface, and a second element directed at an angle 7156offset from (e.g., approximately 45 degrees) the inspection surface. Theexample of FIG. 71 depicts a third element directed at an angle 7154toward the inspection surface, either diagonal toward or away from theview in FIG. 71, depending upon whether the angle of the third elementis directed toward the front or rear of the inspection robot.

In certain embodiments, the angle 7154 is inspected with a same physicalarray utilized to inspect at angle 7152, for example utilizing a phasedelay steering operation, which may be performed entirely virtually(e.g., calculating returns based on phase delay calculations to directthe inspection at the desired angle 7154), with support from the phasedarray element (e.g., adjusting excitation and/or detection delays toimprove the precision of the steering, and/or to reduce processingburdens in determining the virtual steering values), and/or the thirdelement may be performed with a separate angled phased array element.The simultaneous detection of the inspection surface at multiple anglesenhances the ability of the inspection operation to detect certain typesof corrosion or other off-nominal aspects of the inspection surface,such as parallel cracks which are difficult to detect for previouslyknown inspection systems. Additionally, the simultaneous detection ofthe inspection surface at multiple angles allows for the inspection tobe performed in a single pass. The example of FIG. 71 may be a schematicfront view or rear view, relative to the payload, sensor array, and/orinspection robot. The selected view of FIG. 71 aligns the viewing angleof 7152 and 7154 to provide a clear illustration of the angle 7158 tothe angle 7156 offset.

In certain embodiments, the angle 7152 toward the inspection surface maybe referenced as a direct angle (e.g., toward the inspection surface),and/or as a 0° linear angle, noting that the actual orientation of theangle 7152 may not be exactly perpendicular, or a 0° linear angle. Incertain embodiments, the angle 7154 may be referenced as a 30° linearangle (or other selected angle value). In the examples, the angles 7152,7154 may be referenced as linear angles (where applicable), as theangles lie on a plane parallel to the direction of travel, andapproximately perpendicular to the inspection surface in the localregion of the inspection robot. In certain embodiments, angle 7156 maybe referenced as a lateral angle, for example a 45° lateral angle, asthe angle 7156 lies on a plane parallel to the direction of travel, butangled significantly relative to the inspection surface in the localregion of the inspection robot. As noted throughout the presentdisclosure, the selected angles may be determined according to thehardware arrangement (e.g., the positioning and configuration of thephased arrays within a sled or payload, and/or adjusted orientation ofthe sled and/or payload), as adjusted by a beam steering operation(e.g., rotating the inspected angle within the linear and/or lateralplanes), and/or a combination of these. In certain embodiments, theselected angles may be adjusted at design time (e.g., adjusting thehardware configuration, swapping out a sled or a payload, and/or movingan actuator configured to adjust an orientation of the sled, payload,and/or a phased array, and/or setting calibration values utilized toperform beam steering operations), and/or may be adjusted at run time(e.g., adjusting any hardware actuators and/or calibration values duringoperations, for example in response to detected features, to performadditional or adjusted inspection operations in response to knownconditions, for example due to a change in the inspection surface, weld,heat treated area, previously detected conditions from a priorinspection operation, or the like).

Referencing FIG. 72, an illustrative inspection angle diagram consistentwith certain embodiments of the present disclosure is schematicallydepicted. The example of FIG. 72 is consistent with the example of FIG.71, with the angle 7152 coming directly toward, or directly away from,the viewing angle of FIG. 72. The selected view of FIG. 72 aligns theviewing angle to show the relationship between angles 7154 and 7156.Note that in typical embodiments, the angles 7154, 7156 will have acomponent toward or away from the view in FIG. 71, depending uponwhether the angle of the second element is toward the left or right sideof the inspection robot, and depending upon whether the angle of thethird element is toward the front or rear of the inspection robot.

Referencing FIG. 73, an illustrative inspection angle diagram consistentwith certain embodiments of the present disclosure is schematicallydepicted. The example of FIG. 73 is consistent with the examples ofFIGS. 71 and 72, with the viewing angle selected to align the firstangle 7552 and the third angle 7556, and to provide a clear illustrationof the angle 7303 to the angle 7554 offset. The example angles of FIGS.71-73 are non-limiting illustrations. For example, the first angle 7552may not be perpendicular to the inspection surface, but may be varieddue to tolerances in the inspection robot (e.g., leveling of theinspection robot on the surface), the payload(s) (e.g., differences inthe size and/or geometry of a payload, payload mount, arms, sleds,etc.), the inspection surface (e.g., curved or undulating surfaces,surface anomalies, etc.), and/or due to selected angle values for aparticular system, for example where an inspection angle of a fewdegrees, +/−1 degree, +/−5 degrees, +/−10 degrees, or the like, canprovide for enhanced inspection operations (e.g., due to the surfacematerial, the characteristics of corrosion, temperature degradation, orthe like experienced on the surface, including the orientation of theseaspects with regard to the inspection surface), and/or due to relaxedallowances in the manufacture, assembly, and/or configuration of theinspection robot, payloads, sleds, phased arrays, etc., that result inreduced costs, assembly time, inspection time, or the like, thatnevertheless result in a sufficient inspection outcome. In anotherexample, the angles 7558 and/or 7303 may be between about 10 degrees and80 degrees, between about 30 degrees and 60 degrees, and/or betweenabout 30 degrees and 45 degrees, although other values are possible. Theselection of the angles 7558, 7303 may be made according to inspectioncriteria (e.g., due to the geometry of the inspection surface, the areato be inspected, the type and geometry of characteristics (e.g.,corrosion, fatigue, or heat treated area failures) to be inspected, orthe like. In certain embodiments, the selection of the angles 7558, 7303may be determined in response to other criteria, such as the limits ofavailable processing power, constraints for amplitude and/or frequencyof the phased array element excitations and/or detection capability,preservation of sufficient precision for inspection operations, and/orpreservation of sufficient signal for inspection operations (e.g.,accounting for cosine losses at high beam steering angles).

In certain embodiments, one or more angles 7552, 7554, 7556 areadjustable in real time, for example by changing an angle of the phasedarray, payload, or associated sled, and/or utilizing beam steeringoperations. In certain embodiments, one or more of the angles 7552,7554, 7556 aligns with the physical characteristics of the associatedphased array, for example aligned with the neutral inspection operationsof the associated phased array. In certain embodiments, one or more, orall, of the angles 7552, 7554, 7556 are not aligned with the neutralinspection operations of the associated phased array, for example withthe selected angle 7552, 7554, 7556 being determined and/or adjustedusing a beam steering operation. It will be seen that, with a typicallinear or pseudo-linear phased array, at least two phased arrays will beutilized to provide inspection at all angles where at least one of theangles does not lie in a plane with the other angles. It will also beseen that non-planar angles can be supported with a selected phasedarray, for example using a two-dimensional phased array element.

Referencing FIG. 76, an example payload 5908 is depicted in schematiccross-section. The example of FIG. 76 is consistent with certainembodiments of the present disclosure, and depicts an examplearrangement of a number of UT phased arrays provided on a payload 5908.The example of FIG. 76 depicts two angled UT phased arrays 7605A, 7605Bthat provide lateral inspection, and a single direct UT phased array6104 that provides perpendicular and/or linear inspection (e.g.,utilizing beam steering to provide for linear inspection). The examplepayload 5908 of FIG. 76 is capable to inspect heat affected regions onboth sides of a weld in a single inspection operation (e.g., a rasteringoperation across the inspected portion of the inspection surface). Forexample, each lateral array 7605A, 7605B is capable to inspect therespective sides of the heat affected region, while the direct array6104 is operated to inspect each side of the weld (or other inspectedfeature) in response to positioning on each side of the weld duringrastering operations of the payload 5908. The example payload 5908includes acoustic isolators 6108 positioned between each array 7605A,6104, 7605B.

Referencing FIG. 77, an example payload is schematically depicted froman underside view. In the example of FIG. 77, a direct array 6104 isoriented toward the inspection surface, which may be utilized to performa perpendicular and/or a linear inspection (e.g., using beam steeringoperations), and an angled array 6102 may be utilized to perform alateral inspection. The example of FIG. 77 includes an acousticisolators 6108 positioned between the arrays 6102, 6104. The example ofFIG. 77 includes an annotation of extent 7752, depicting the area of theinspection surface that can be inspected in a single inspectionoperation of the payload. In certain embodiments, the inspected regioncorresponds to the extent 7752 axially (e.g., in the direction of travelof the inspection robot), and to a rastered region (e.g., the lateralextent of the inspection surface exposed to inspection in response to arastering operation of the payload). In certain embodiments, theinspected region corresponds to a number of the regions sequentiallyinspected, for example to inspect a selected axial length, or all, ofthe weld or other inspected feature of the inspection surface.

Referencing FIG. 78, an example inspection robot is schematicallydepicted to illustrate certain aspects of the present disclosure. Theexample of FIG. 78 is consistent with aspects of other embodimentsdepicted herein, with the addition of additional payloads 7852 in arearward position of the inspection robot. The example additionalpayloads 7852 further include an associated rastering device 7804configured to raster the payloads 7852 to perform inspection operationsof selected areas of the inspection surface, for example a heat affectedregion of a weld. The example of FIG. 78 further includes an additionalpayload 7856, for example a weld inspection sensor payload. As for theforward payloads, the number and arrangement of rearward payloads may beconfigured as desired—for example allowing the inspection robot toinspect both sides of the weld in a single run, rastering payloads incooperation or individually, and/or attaching the weld inspection sensorpayload 7856 to one of the rastering payloads 7852. The rearwardpayloads 7852 may be arranged to inspect portions of the inspectionsurface that have not already been inspected by the forward payloads5908, for example by alternating inspected portions such that therearward payloads 7852 do not repeat inspection areas, allowing for theinspection robot to complete the inspection operations in a reducedtime. In certain embodiments, the rearward payloads 7852 may be arrangedto inspect portions of the inspection surface that have already beeninspected by the forward payloads 5908, for example allowing foradditional inspections using a re-calibrated sensor operation (e.g.,adjusting calibrations such as expected return times, estimatedthickness, and/or estimated speed of sound in materials), using sensorshaving distinct angle operations (e.g., with linear, lateral, and/ordirect angles that are distinct from the angles of the forward payloads5908), and/or using different sensors (e.g., electro-magnetic sensors,cameras, temperature sensors, vibration sensors, etc.). In certainembodiments, the rearward payloads 7852 may be utilized selectively, forexample in response to detected conditions from the forward payloads5908, anomalies in the inspection data, or the like.

Referencing FIG. 79, an example inspection area of an inspection surface7905 is schematically depicted, on a single side of the weld 5916 forpurposes of the example. In the example of FIG. 79, alternating regions7904 are inspected by a forward payload, and regions 7906 are inspectedby a rearward payload. In the example of FIG. 79, the rastering devicesare utilized to inspect a width 7902 according to the range of motion ofthe rastering device, and/or the configuration of the payload(s). In agiven inspection operation, depending upon the size and configuration ofthe inspection robot and payload(s), a number of regions may be betweenthe forward and rearward payloads—for example a first region inspectedby the forward payload(s) may have adjacent regions inspected by therearward payload(s) after several intervening regions have beeninspected. In certain embodiments, for example with regard toterminating areas at the extent of the inspection surface, thealternating arrangement may be adjusted, for example with severalterminating inspection areas consecutively inspected by one or the otherof the forward or rearward payloads.

With reference to FIG. 80, there is illustrated an example inspectionsystem 8000 including an inspection robot 8002 positioned on aninspection surface 8060 and an inspection controller 8070. It shall beappreciated that system 8000 may be implemented in a variety ofapplications, including pipe inspection, tank inspection, and othertypes of surface inspection.

Inspection surface 8060 extends in the X-Y plane of the illustratedCartesian coordinate system. Inspection surface 8060 may include a weld,a crack, a blister, or other features of interest. As illustrated inFIG. 80, inspection surface 8060 includes a traversing region 8050,which is a portion of the inspection surface 8060 that inspection robot8002 is configured to inspect. Traversing region 8050 includes sideedges 8051 and 8053, front edge 8055, and back edge 8057.

Inspection robot 8002 includes a propulsion system 8001 structured tomove inspection robot 8002 in a direction of travel 8041 on inspectionsurface 8060. In the illustrated embodiments, propulsion system 8001includes a plurality of wheels coupled to a body 8007, but in otherembodiments propulsion system 8001 may include tracks or other devicestructured to move inspection robot 8002 in direction of travel 8041.

In the illustrated embodiment, inspection robot 8002 includes rasteringdevices 8003, 8005, and payloads 8020, 8030. Rastering device 8003 iscoupled to body 8007 and payload 8020, and structured to move payload8020 back and forth (i.e., raster) in parallel directions of inspection8043 and 8045, also known as a direction of inspection and a reversedirection of inspection, or a forward direction of inspection and areverse direction of inspection. It shall be appreciated that eitherdirection of inspection 8043 and 8045 may be referred to as the forwarddirection of inspection, and each feature of direction of inspection8043 described herein may also apply to direction of inspection 8045.

Direction of inspection 8043 is distinct from direction of travel 8041.In the illustrated embodiment, direction of travel 8041 is parallel tothe X axis and direction of inspection 8043 is parallel to the Y axissuch that direction of travel 8041 and direction of inspection 8043 areorthogonal to each other in the XY plane. It shall be appreciated thatorthogonal may include a range of angles around 90 degrees, such as +/−5degrees, to name but one example. In certain embodiments, direction oftravel 8041 and direction of inspection 8043 are at an oblique anglerelative to each other in the XY plane. In certain embodiments, thedirections of inspection 8043, 8045 are mirrored relative to an axisorthogonal to direction of travel 8041.

It shall be appreciated that orientations of inspection robot 8002 andits components relative to components of robot 8002, the illustrateddirections, X-Y-Z coordinates, and inspection surface are meant todescribe orientations while inspection robot 8002 is conducting aninspection operation during an inspection mode. The describedorientations are not intended to describe inspection robot 8002 duringother operations. For example, the described orientations are notintended to describe inspection robot 8002 while robot 8002 is removedfrom inspection surface 8060 for maintenance or repair. Unless otherwisespecified, a described orientation of inspection robot 8002, or thecomponents thereof, is maintained during the entirety of the inspectionoperation unless otherwise noted.

Rastering device 8003 is coupled to body 8007 and payload 8030, andstructured to move payload 8030 back and forth along directions ofinspection 8043 and 8045. It shall be appreciated that any or all of thefeatures of rastering device 8003 may also be present in rasteringdevice 8005.

Payload 8020 includes ultrasonic (UT) phased arrays 8021 and 8023. Asdescribed in more detail below, arrays 8021 and 8023 are arranged in aparallel configuration, the arrangement of elements of each array beingparallel with direction of travel 8041. As payload 8020 is moved indirection of inspection 8043, arrays 8021 and 8023 move perpendicular todirection of inspection 8043. Each UT phased array is structured tomeasure characteristics of the inspection surface. For example, each UTphased array may emit a beam and in response receive a beam reflectioncorresponding to characteristics of a portion of inspection surface8060.

Payload 8030 includes UT phased arrays 8031 and 8033 arranged in aparallel configuration relative to each other. Arrays 8031 and 8033 mayalso be arranged in parallel with arrays 8021 and 8023. It shall furtherbe appreciated that any or all of the features of payload 8020 may bepresent in payload 8030.

In the illustrated embodiment, inspection robot 8002 includes a weldsensing assembly 8010. In the illustrated embodiment, weld sensingassembly 8010 is mounted to body 8007. In certain embodiments, weldsensing assembly 8010 is mounted to a third payload of inspection robot8002. In certain embodiments, at least a portion of weld sensingassembly 8010 is mounted on at least one of payload 8020 and payload8030. In certain embodiments, inspection robot 8002 does not include aweld sensing assembly 8010.

Weld sensing assembly 8010 is configured to measure characteristics of aweld region of inspection surface 8060 including a weld. The weld regionmay be interposed between two heated regions of inspection surface 8060.

In certain embodiments, weld sensing assembly 8010 includes atime-of-flight sensor system configured to measure the characteristicsof the weld region. The time-of-flight sensor system may include atime-of-flight sensor positioned on at least one of a first side or asecond side of the weld. The weld sensing assembly may include a firsttime-of-flight sensor positioned on the first side of the weld and asecond time-of-flight sensor positioned on the second side of the weld.

Inspection controller 8070 is configured to monitor and controlinspection robot 8002. In certain embodiments, controller 8070 isincorporated into robot 8002. In certain embodiments, controller 8070 iscoupled to robot 8002 by way of one or more communication lines. Incertain embodiments, controller 8070 and robot 8002 are structured tocommunicate wirelessly with each other. Controller 8070 may be locatedproximate to robot 8002 or located remotely from robot 8002.

Traversing region 8050 may be divided into a plurality of widths. Incertain embodiments, controller 8070 is configured to determine a widthof traversing region 8050 for each rastering device 8003, 8005.Controller may determine the widths of traversing region 8050 forrastering devices 8003, 8005 in response to measured characteristicsprovided by payloads 8020 or 8030.

In the illustrated embodiment, controller 8070 includes a positioningcircuit 8071, a rastering circuit 8073, and a weld inspection circuit8075. In certain embodiments, controller 8070 may include more or fewercircuits.

Positioning circuit 8071 may be structured to position inspection robot8002 at a selected inspection position using propulsion system 8001.Positioning circuit 8071 may be further structured to positioninspection robot 8002 at a second selected inspection position, whereinthe second selected inspection position comprises a position offset indirection of travel 8041 relative to the selected inspection position.The position offset may include an offset value determined in responseto an axial extent, also known as length, of at least one UT phasedarray of payloads 8020 and 8030. In certain embodiments, the positionoffset includes an offset of about 45 mm (i.e., +/−10%). In certainembodiments, the position offset includes an offset of between 1 inchand 2 inches, inclusive.

Rastering circuit 8073, also known as inspection circuit, may bestructured to raster payload 8020 and payload 8030. Rastering circuit8073 may also be structured to provide an interrogation command inresponse to inspection robot 8002 being positioned at the selectedinspection position. The interrogation command may be provided to the UTphased arrays of payloads 8020 and 8030, which are responsive to theinterrogation command.

Weld inspection circuit 8075 is structured to provide a weld inspectioncommand in response to a position value of inspection robot 8002. Weldsensing assembly 8010 may be responsive to the weld inspection commandto measure characteristics of a weld region of traversing region 8050interposed between other regions of traversing region 8050, such as thewidth of traversing region 8050 for rastering device 8003 and the widthof traversing region 8050 for rastering device 8005. In certainembodiments, such as where inspection robot 8002 does not include weldsensing assembly 8010, controller 8070 does not include weld inspectioncircuit 8075.

In certain embodiments, controller 8070 is configured to operaterastering device 8003 and rastering device 8005 in an inspection mode bymoving the rastering devices in directions of inspection 8043 or 8045,which are distinct from direction of travel 8041. For example, rasteringdevice 8003 may move payload 8020 in direction of inspection 8045 andrastering device 8005 may move payload 8030 in direction of inspection8043. In certain embodiments, moving the rastering devices includessimultaneously moving payloads 8020 and 8030 in the same direction ofinspection or different directions of inspection. In certainembodiments, controller 8070 is configured to move payload 8020 indirection of inspection 8045, then move robot 8002 in direction oftravel 8041, then move payload 8020 in reverse direction of inspection8043.

In certain embodiments, controller 8070 is configured to implement asynchronous mode inspection or an asynchronous mode inspection.Rastering circuit 8073 may be structured to provide the interrogationcommand to implement the synchronous mode inspection or the asynchronousmode inspection.

Synchronous mode inspection may include a position coordination profilebetween rastering device 8003 and rastering device 8005. For example,synchronous mode inspection may include moving payload 8020 in adirection of inspection and moving payload 8030 in a same direction ofinspection while maintaining a selected distance 8025 between payloads8020 and 8030. In certain embodiments, the selected distance is fixed.In another example, where the selected distance is varying, asynchronous mode inspection may include maintaining the selecteddistance 8025 effective to move payload 8020 in direction of inspection8043 while moving payload 8030 in reverse direction of inspection 8045.

Synchronous mode inspection may include a velocity coordination profilebetween rastering device 8003 and rastering device 8005. For example,synchronous mode inspection may include moving payloads 8020 and 8030based on a selected velocity.

Synchronous mode inspection may include a time-based coordination ofoperations of rastering device 8003 and rastering device 8005. Forexample, synchronous mode inspection may include moving rastering device8003 and rastering device 8005 from one point of inspection in thedirections of inspection to another point in the direction of inspectionsimultaneously.

Synchronous mode inspection may include mitigating force on inspectionrobot 8002 orthogonal to direction of travel 8041 based on a combinedmovement of payloads 8020 and 8030. In certain embodiments, mitigatingthe force on inspection robot 8002 orthogonal to direction of travel8041 includes moving payload 8020 and payload 8030 in oppositedirections.

Asynchronous mode inspection may include moving payload 8020 independentof a direction of inspection of payload 8030. Asynchronous modeinspection may also include moving payload 8020 independent of avelocity or speed of payload 8030. For example, asynchronous modeinspection may include repeatedly moving payload 8020 while payload 8030is positioned at a position of inspection and measuring characteristicsof a portion of inspection surface 8060, and then moving payload 8030while payload 8020 is positioned at another position of inspection andmeasuring characteristics of another portion of inspection surface 8060.

It shall be appreciated that any or all of the foregoing features ofinspection robot 8002, inspection controller 8070, and inspectionsurface 8060 may also be present in the other inspection robots,inspection controllers, and inspection surfaces disclosed herein.

With reference to FIGS. 81 and 82, there is illustrated an examplepayload 8100, such as payloads 8020 or 8030 of robot 8002 in FIG. 80.Payload 8100 is coupled to a rastering device and structured to measurecharacteristics of a portion of an inspection surface.

Payload 8100 includes UT phased arrays 8120 and 8130 attached to a base8110 including an acoustic barrier 8140 interposed between UT phasedarrays 8120 and 8130. Each of UT phased arrays 8120 and 8130 include aplurality of elements arranged linearly along a length of the UT phasedarray. UT phased arrays 8120 and 8130 may include an equal number ofelements. The plurality of elements for each UT phased array may include32 elements, 64 elements, or 72 elements, to name but a few examples.The plurality of elements for each UT phased array are arranged in aparallel configuration, distinct from directions of inspection 8103 and8107. In certain embodiments, the plurality of elements for each UTphased array are arranged in a parallel configuration, perpendicularfrom directions of inspection 8103 and 8107.

UT phased array 8130 is oriented orthogonally relative to a bottomsurface of base 8110 and the inspection surface while UT phased array8120 is oriented obliquely relative to the bottom surface of base 8110and the inspection surface. In certain embodiments, UT phased array 8120is oriented at an angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees, inclusive,relative to the inspection surface. Without beam steering, UT phasedarray 8130 is oriented to emit a beam through base 8110 toward theinspection surface at a 0 degree angle and UT phased array 8120 isoriented to emit a beam through base 8110 toward the inspection surfaceat an oblique angle. UT phased array 8130 is structured to selectivelysteer an emitted beam directed through base 8110 to the inspectionsurface. UT phased array 8130 may also be structured to selectivelysteer an emitted beam directed through base 8110 to the inspectionsurface. In certain embodiments, payload 8100 does not include a UTphased array oriented orthogonally or obliquely relative to the parallelconfiguration of the plurality of elements of UT phased arrays 8120 and8130, and payload does not include a UT phased array oriented parallelto directions of inspection 8103 or 8107.

At each inspection position along a direction of inspection, payload8100 may emit three beams in succession. UT phased array 8130 isconfigured to emit a first unsteered 0 degree beam, and a second steeredbeam having a second angle between 15 and 45 degrees relative to the 0degree beam emitted by the UT phased array 8130. At the same inspectionpoint, UT phased array 8120 is configured to emit a third beam, whichmay be steered or unsteered. The first, second, and third beam may beemitted in any order.

It shall be appreciated that any or all of the foregoing features ofpayload 8100 and the components thereof may also be present in the otherpayloads disclosed herein, such as the payloads of FIGS. 80 and 86.

With reference to FIG. 83, there is illustrated an example inspectionprocess 8200 for inspecting a surface. Process 8200 may be implementedin whole or in part in one or more of the inspection robots disclosedherein. It shall be further appreciated that variations of andmodifications to process 8200 are contemplated including, for example,the omission of one or more aspects of process 8200, the addition offurther conditionals and operations, or the reorganization or separationof operations and conditionals into separate processes.

Process 8200 begins at operation 8201 where the inspection robot movesthe inspection robot in a first inspection direction, also known as adirection of travel, to a first inspection position of an inspectionsurface.

Process 8200 proceeds to perform an inspection of the first inspectionposition of the inspection surface, including operations 8203 and 8205.

During operation 8203, the inspection robot moves a payload of theinspection robot in a second direction, also known as a direction ofinspection, distinct from the first inspection direction, wherein thepayload comprises a first ultrasonic (UT) phased array and a second UTphased array.

During operation 8205, the inspection robot interrogates the firstinspection position with the first UT phased array and the second UTphased array during the moving the payload. Interrogating the firstinspection position with the first UT phased array further comprisesinterrogating the first inspection position in two directions with thefirst UT phased array. The two directions may include a first orthogonaldirection that is perpendicular to the inspection surface, and a secondsteered direction, wherein the second steered direction is rotated in aplane including a first axis orthogonal to the second direction and asecond axis orthogonal to the inspection surface at a position of thefirst UT phased array.

Interrogating the first inspection position in two directions mayinclude utilizing a single energizing data sequence to perform theinterrogating in both directions. Alternatively, Interrogating the firstinspection position in two directions comprises utilizing a firstenergizing data sequence to perform the interrogating in a firstorthogonal direction, and utilizing a second energizing data sequence toperform the interrogating in the second direction.

Process 8200 proceeds to operation 8207 where the inspection robot movesthe inspection robot in the first inspection direction to a secondinspection position of the inspection surface.

Process 8200 proceeds to operation 8209 where the inspection robotperforms an inspection of the second inspection portion of theinspection surface. In certain embodiments, moving the payload of theinspection robot in the second direction comprises moving the payloadfrom a first payload side to a second payload side and performing theinspection of the second inspection position comprises moving thepayload from the second payload side to the first payload side.

It shall be appreciated that any or all of the foregoing features ofexample process 8200 may also be present in the other processesdisclosed herein, such as the processes illustrated in FIGS. 83-84 and87-90, to name but a few examples.

With reference to FIG. 84, there is illustrated an example inspectionprocess 8400 for moving a payload of an inspection robot in a directionof inspection. Process 8400 may be implemented in whole or in part inone or more of the inspection robots disclosed herein. It shall befurther appreciated that variations of and modifications to process 8400are contemplated including, for example, the omission of one or moreaspects of process 8400, the addition of further conditionals andoperations, or the reorganization or separation of operations andconditionals into separate processes. In certain embodiments, process8400 is performed repeatedly until the payload reaches a side edge of atraversing region of an inspection surface.

Process 8400 begins at operation 8401 where the inspection robotpositions the payload including two UT phased array at a first positionalong the direction of inspection.

Process 8400 proceeds to operation 8403 where the inspection robot emitsa first beam with the first UT phased array at a first angle. In certainembodiments, the first angle of the first beam is 0 degrees relative tothe orientation of the first UT phased array.

Process 8400 proceeds to operation 8405 where the inspection robotreceives a first beam reflection in response to emitting the first beam.The first beam reflection corresponds to characteristics of theinspection surface.

Process 8400 proceeds to operation 8407 where the inspection robot emitsa second beam with the first UT phased array at a second angle. Incertain embodiments, the second angle is between 15 and 45 degreesrelative to the orientation of the first UT phased array. In certainembodiments, emitting the second beam includes steering the second beam.

Process 8400 proceeds to operation 8409 where the inspection robotreceives a second beam reflection in response to emitting the secondbeam. The second beam reflection may correspond to characteristics ofthe inspection surface that are different than the characteristicscorresponding to the first beam reflection. In certain embodiments,emitting the first beam and the emitting the second beam occurs whilethe first UT phased array maintains an orientation relative to theinspection surface.

Process 8400 proceeds to operation 8411 where the inspection robot emitsa third beam with the second UT phased array.

Process 8400 proceeds to operation 8413 where the inspection robotreceives a third beam reflection in response to emitting the third beam.

Process 8400 proceeds to operation 8415 where the inspection robot movesthe payload one increment in the direction of inspection.

It shall be appreciated that any or all of the foregoing features ofexample process 8400 may also be present in the other processesdisclosed herein, such as the processes illustrated in FIGS. 83, 85, and87-90, to name but a few examples.

With reference to FIG. 85, there is illustrated an example inspectionprocess 8500. Process 8500 may be implemented in whole or in part in oneor more of the inspection robots disclosed herein. It shall be furtherappreciated that variations of and modifications to process 8500 arecontemplated including, for example, the omission of one or more aspectsof process 8500, the addition of further conditionals and operations, orthe reorganization or separation of operations and conditionals intoseparate processes.

Process 8500 begins at operation 8501 including operating an inspectionrobot including a payload including a first ultrasonic (UT) phased arrayand a second UT phased array, the first UT phased array and the secondUT phased array being arranged in a parallel configuration, and arastering device.

Process 8500 proceeds to operation 8503, where the inspection robotmoves the inspection robot in a direction of travel on an inspectionsurface.

Process 8500 proceeds to operation 8505, where the rastering devicemoves the payload in a direction of inspection, the direction ofinspection being distinct from the direction of travel and the directionof inspection being distinct from the parallel configuration of thefirst UT phased array and the second UT phased array.

It shall be appreciated that any or all of the foregoing features ofexample process 8500 may also be present in the other processesdisclosed herein, such as the processes illustrated in FIGS. 83-84 and87-90, to name but a few examples.

With reference to FIG. 86, there is illustrated an example inspectionrobot 8600 on an inspection surface 8650. While robot 8600 describedhereinafter may not specifically describe features analogous to thefeatures of inspection robot 8002 in FIG. 80, such features maynonetheless be employed in connection with the described robot 8600.

Inspection surface includes region 8651, region 8653, and weld region8655. Weld region 8655 includes a weld and is interposed between regions8651 and 8653. Region 8651 is adjacent to weld region 8655. In certainembodiments, region 8651 corresponds to a portion of inspection surface8650 heated during the creation of the weld of weld region 8655. Region8651 includes a width 8657. In certain embodiments, width 8657 isbetween three and twelve inches, inclusive. The payload 8620 may berastered back and forth 8643, 8645.

Region 8653 is adjacent to weld region 8655. In certain embodiments,region 8653 corresponds to a portion of inspection surface 8650 heatedduring the creation of the weld of weld region 8655. Region 8653includes a width 8659. In certain embodiments, width 8659 is betweenthree and twelve inches, inclusive

Inspection robot 8600 includes a body 8607, rastering devices 8603 and8605, payloads 8620 and 8630, and weld sensing assembly 8610. Payload8620 includes UT phased arrays 8621 and 8623. Payload 8630 includes UTphased arrays 8631 and 8633. Inspection robot 8600 is configured to movealong a direction of travel 8641 corresponding to weld region 8655 whilestraddling weld region 8655. In certain embodiments, payload 8620 isstructured to measure characteristics of region 8651 while payload 8630is structured to measure characteristics of region 8653.

In certain embodiments, a controller is configured to determine widths8657 and 8659 in response to measured characteristics provided by one ormore of payloads 8620 or 8630. In certain embodiments, a controller isconfigured to determine a size of region 8651 in response to themeasured characteristics provided by payload 8620 or payload 8630, orconfigured to determine a size of region 8653 in response to themeasured characteristics provided by payload 8620 or payload 8630.

Weld sensing assembly 8610 is configured to measure characteristics ofweld region 8655. In certain embodiments, weld sensing assembly 8610includes a time-of-flight sensor system configured to measure thecharacteristics of the weld region.

With reference to FIG. 87, there is illustrated an example inspectionprocess 8700 for inspecting a weld. Process 8700 may be implemented inwhole or in part in one or more of the inspection robots disclosedherein. It shall be further appreciated that variations of andmodifications to process 8700 are contemplated including, for example,the omission of one or more aspects of process 8700, the addition offurther conditionals and operations, or the reorganization or separationof operations and conditionals into separate processes.

Process 8700 begins at operation 8701 including operating an inspectionrobot including a first payload including a first plurality ofultrasonic (UT) phased arrays, a second payload including a secondplurality of UT phased arrays, and a weld sensing assembly. For example,the inspection robot may be inspection robot 8002 of FIG. 80 orinspection robot 8600 of FIG. 86.

Process 8700 proceeds to operation 8703 including measuringcharacteristics of the weld region using the weld sensing assembly. Incertain embodiments, measuring characteristics of the weld region usingthe weld sending assembly includes measuring while the inspection robotis moving in the direction of travel. In certain embodiments, process8700 includes moving the inspection robot one increment, also known as aposition offset, in the direction of travel immediately before measuringcharacteristics of the weld region. In certain embodiments, process 8700includes moving the inspection robot one increment in the direction oftravel in response to measuring characteristics of the weld region.

Process 8700 proceeds to operation 8705 including positioning theinspection robot at a first position in the direction of travel.

Process 8700 proceeds to operation 8707 including moving the firstpayload in a first direction of inspection distinct from the directionof travel while the inspection robot is at the first position of thedirection of travel. In certain embodiments, the inspection robot isstopped at the first position of the direction of travel. In certainembodiments, the first direction of inspection is orthogonal to thedirection of travel.

Process 8700 proceeds to operation 8709 including moving the secondpayload in a second direction of inspection distinct from the directionof travel while the inspection robot is at the first position of thedirection of travel. In certain embodiments, the second direction ofinspection is orthogonal to the direction of travel. In certainembodiments, the inspection robot is stopped at the first position ofthe direction of travel.

In certain embodiments, the first direction of inspection or the seconddirection of inspection are not orthogonal relative to the direction oftravel. For example, either direction of inspection may be orientedrelative to the direction of travel in order to allow for flexibility inconfiguration and footprint of the inspection robot; to allow formanufacturing tolerances of payload mount elements and mounting; or toadjust to a selected direction for inspection movement (e.g., improvedetection of cracks in certain orientations).

With reference to FIG. 88, there is illustrated an example inspectionprocess 8800 for moving a payload in a direction of inspection. Process8800 may be implemented in whole or in part in one or more of theinspection robots disclosed herein. It shall be further appreciated thatvariations of and modifications to process 8800 are contemplatedincluding, for example, the omission of one or more aspects of process8800, the addition of further conditionals and operations, or thereorganization or separation of operations and conditionals intoseparate processes.

Process 8800 begins at operation 8801 where the rastering device movesthe first payload to a first position along the direction of inspection.

Process 8800 proceeds to operation 8803, where the payload emits beamsfrom a first UT phased array of the first plurality of UT phased arraysincluding a first beam orthogonal to the inspection surface and a secondbeam at a first oblique angle relative to the first beam. In certainembodiments, the payload steers the second beam.

Process 8800 proceeds to operation 8805, where the payload emits a thirdbeam from a second UT phased array of the first plurality of UT phasedarrays at a second oblique angle relative to the inspection surface.

Process 8800 proceeds to operation 8807 where the rastering device movesthe payload one increment to a second position along the direction ofinspection. Process 8800 repeats operations 8803-8807 until the payloadreaches a side edge of a traversing region of the inspection surface.

It shall be appreciated that any or all of the foregoing features ofexample process 8800 may also be present in the other processesdisclosed herein, such as the processes illustrated in FIGS. 83-85, 87,and 89-90, to name but a few examples.

With reference to FIG. 89, there is illustrated an example inspectionprocess 8900 for moving a payload in a direction of inspection. Process8900 may be implemented in whole or in part in one or more of theinspection robots disclosed herein. It shall be further appreciated thatvariations of and modifications to process 8900 are contemplatedincluding, for example, the omission of one or more aspects of process8900, the addition of further conditionals and operations, or thereorganization or separation of operations and conditionals intoseparate processes.

Process 8900 begins at operation 8901 including operating an inspectionrobot including: a first payload including a first plurality ofultrasonic (UT) phased arrays, and a second payload including a secondplurality of ultrasonic (UT) phased arrays.

Process 8900 proceeds to operation 8903, the inspection robot moves in adirection of travel corresponding to a weld of an inspection surface.

Process 8900 proceeds to operation 8905, where the inspection robot,with the first payload, measures characteristics of a first region ofthe inspection surface on a first side of the weld while the secondpayload is structured to measure characteristics of a second region ofthe inspection surface on a second side of the weld.

It shall be appreciated that any or all of the foregoing features ofexample process 8900 may also be present in the other processesdisclosed herein, such as the processes illustrated in FIGS. 83-85,87-88, and 90, to name but a few examples.

With reference to FIG. 90, there is illustrated an example inspectionprocess 9000 for moving a payload in a direction of inspection. Process9000 may be implemented in whole or in part in one or more of theinspection robots disclosed herein. It shall be further appreciated thatvariations of and modifications to process 9000 are contemplatedincluding, for example, the omission of one or more aspects of process9000, the addition of further conditionals and operations, or thereorganization or separation of operations and conditionals intoseparate processes.

Process 9000 begins at operation 9001 wherein a rastering device movesthe first payload in a first direction of inspection distinct from thedirection of travel and the first plurality of UT phased arrays whilethe inspection robot is at a first position along the direction oftravel.

Process 9000 proceeds to operation 9003, where another rastering devicemoves the second payload in a second direction of inspection distinctfrom the direction of travel and the second plurality of UT phasedarrays while the inspection robot is at the first position along thedirection of travel.

Process 9000 proceeds to operation 9005, where the weld sensing assemblymeasures characteristics of the weld region.

Process 9000 proceeds to operation 9007 where the inspection robot movesto a second position of the direction of travel. In certain embodiments,process 9000 repeats operations 9001-9007 until the inspection robotreaches a forward side of a traversing region of the inspection surface.

It shall be appreciated that any or all of the foregoing features ofexample process 9000 may also be present in the other processesdisclosed herein, such as the processes illustrated in Figs. FIGS. 83-85and 87-89, to name but a few examples.

Referring to FIGS. 91-94, an inspection element 9150 may include aninspection body structured to support a first UT phased array 9154 and asecond UT phased array 9156 at a constant, defined, distance from aninspection surface. The first UT phased array 9154 may be at a firstsurface orientation relative to an inspection surface. The second UTphased array 9156 may be at a third surface orientation relative to theinspection surface. The inspection body may be structured to support thefirst UT phased array 9154 and a second UT phased array 9156 at thefirst and third surface orientations respectfully. The first UT phasedarray 9154 and the second UT phased array 9156 may be connected to acontroller, data storage, a raw data circuit (see FIG. 95), and the likeby individual data cables 9152. The inspection element 9150 may includean acoustic barrier 9158 supported at a fourth surface orientationpositioned between the first UT phased array 9154 and the second UTphased array 9156 to reduce acoustic cross talk between the two UTphased arrays 9154, 9156. The inspection element 9150 may include acouplant channel 9160 to provide a couplant to the inspection surfaceand form an acoustic connection between at least one of the two UTphased arrays 9154, 9156 and the inspection surface.

The inspection element 9150 may include one or mount locations 9162 toenable the inspection element 9150 to be connected to a mount 9302 andattached to a raster device 9401. Note that the embodiments of FIGS.95-96 are meant to be illustrative but not limiting.

Referring to FIGS. 95 and 96, an inspection device 9500 may include arobot 9502 supporting a first inspection payload 9504. The firstinspection payload 9504, may include a first inspection element 5150A(an embodiment of which is shown in FIGS. 91-94). The first inspectionelement 5150A may include a first UT phased array element 9554A at afirst surface orientation and a second UT phased array element 9556A ata second surface orientation. The first surface orientation may bedistinct from the second surface orientation. The first UT phased arrayelement 9554A may be longitudinally aligned with the approximatedirection of travel of the robot and have a first surface orientation,relative to the inspection surface of approximate +/−5′ inclusiverelative to the inspection surface. The second UT phased array element9556A may be longitudinally aligned with the approximate direction oftravel of the robot (approximately parallel to the first UT phased array9554A) and have a second surface orientation, relative to the inspectionsurface of 40-50′ inclusive, 30-60′ inclusive, 30-75′ inclusive, and thelike. The range may be symmetrical or asymmetrical around 45′. The firstUT phased array element 9554A and the second UT phased array element9556A may be arranged opposing one another such that they inspect acommon location on the inspection surface 9602.

In embodiments, the first inspection payload may include a secondinspection element 5150B (an embodiment of which is shown in FIGS.91-94). The second inspection element 5150B may include a third UTphased array element 9554B and a fourth UT phased array element 9556B.The third UT phased array element 9554B may be longitudinally alignedwith the approximate direction of travel of the robot and have a thirdsurface orientation, relative to the inspection surface of approximate+/−5′ inclusive relative to the inspection surface. The fourth UT phasedarray element 9556B may be longitudinally aligned with the approximatedirection of travel of the robot and have a fourth surface orientation,relative to the inspection surface of 40-50′ inclusive, 30-60′inclusive, 30-75′ inclusive, and the like. The range may or may not besymmetrical around 45′. The third UT phased array element 9554B and thefourth UT phased array element 9556B may be arranged such that theyinspect a common location on the inspection surface 9602.

The first inspection element 5150A may include an acoustic barrier 9158supported at a fourth surface orientation 9166 positioned between thefirst UT phased array 9554A and the second UT phased array 9556A toreduce acoustic cross talk between the two UT phased arrays 9554A,9556A. The acoustic barrier may have a third surface orientation 9166where the third surface orientation 9166 is at an intermediate anglebetween the first surface orientation 9168A and the second surfaceorientation 9168B. The first inspection element may include a couplerconnection 9516 to receive coupler from the robot 9502. The couplant maybe supplied to the inspection surface, via a couplant channel to form anacoustic connection between at least one of the two UT phased arrays9154, 9156 and the inspection surface.

The inspection device 9500 may include a tether 9512 to provide acouplant connection 9524 between the robot 9502 and a couplant source9514. In embodiments, raw data 9522 may be communicated back from therobot by a wireless communication 9530, or via a data connection 9528incorporated in the tether 9512 to communicate raw data from the robotto a local inspection device 9529. In some embodiments, the raw data iscommunicated via the individual data cables 9152 to a local inspectiondevice 9529. Raw data 9522 as used here may have undergone some initialprocessing such as noise reduction, calibration, normalization, and thelike as described throughout the present disclosure.

The robot 9502 may include a raw data collection device 9534 whichreceives data from the UT phased arrays 9154A, 9154B, 9156A, 9156B. Thecollected data may be stored in a robotic data storage 9532 or remotedata storage 9538 on the local inspection device 9529. In embodiments,the data from the UT phased arrays 9154A, 9154B, 9156A, 9156B may betransmitted to a remote raw data collection circuit 9520 of the localinspection device 9529 and stored in local data storage 9538.

Referring to FIG. 97, a method for inspecting a heat affected zone andweld 9700 may include measuring a first heat affected zone 9610 with afirst inspection element 9150A (step 9702) and measuring a second heataffected zone 9612 with a second inspection element 9150B (step 9704).The first and second inspection elements 9150A, 9150B are then moved astep in a direction of inspection 9604 (step 9708). In embodiments, thefirst and second inspection elements 9150A, 9150B may be moved by asingle raster device 9401 (FIG. 94) in parallel, where the speed anddistance that the first and second inspection elements 9150A, 9150B aremoved is the same although they are measuring a first heat affected zone9610 and a second heat affected zone 9612 respectively. In embodiments,the first and second inspection elements 9150A, 9150B may be moved(rastered) by different raster devices 9620A, 9620B such that thedistance traveled by first and second inspection elements 9150A, 9150Bmay be the same or different. The ability to move asynchronously mayenable obstacle avoidance and the like. After the measurements have beentaking, a determination is made regarding whether the width (thedimension of the inspection surface in the direction of inspection) hasbeen fully measured (step 9710). If the width has been fully measured, ameasurement of a weld 9608 between the first and second heat affectedzone 9610, 9612 is made by the weld sensor 9603 (step 9712) and therobot is moved an incremental step in the direction of travel (step9714). The weld sensor 9603 may be a time of flight sensor, pulse echoprobe, or the like.

Referring to FIG. 98, the method of measuring a first heat affectedarray with a first inspection assembly (step 9702) is described in moredepth. A first measurement of a first sample of the first heat affectedzone 9610 is made by the first phased array 9154A at a first orientation(step 9802) and then the first measured data is stored (step 9804). Thefocus (see focus or beam forming disclosure as described throughout thepresent disclosure) of the first phased array is changed from the firstsurface orientation to a second surface orientation (step 9808) and ameasurement of a first sample of the first heat affected zone 9610 ismade with the first phased array at the second surface orientation (step9810). The second measured data is then stored (step 9812). A thirdmeasurement of the first sample of the first heat affected zone 9610 ismade by the second phased array 9156A at a third orientation (step 9814)and then the third measured data is stored (step 9818). The focus of thefirst phased array is then changed from the second surface orientationback to the first surface orientation (step 9822)

Referring to FIG. 99, the method of measuring a second heat affectedarray with a second inspection element (step 9702) is described in moredepth. A first measurement of a first sample of the second heat affectedzone 9612 is made by the third phased array 9154B at a fourth surfaceorientation (step 9902) and the first measured data of the secondinspection element 9150B is stored (step 9904). The focus of the thirdphased array is changed from the fourth surface orientation to a fifthsurface orientation (step 9908) and a measurement of a first sample ofthe second heat affected zone 9612 is made with the fourth phased arrayat the fifth surface orientation (step 9910). The second measured dataof the second inspection element 9150B is then stored (step 9912). Athird measurement of the first sample of the second heat affected zone9612 is made by the fourth phased array 9156B at a sixth orientation(step 9914) and then the third measured data is stored (step 9918). Thesecond inspection element 9150B is then moved a step in a direction orinspection (step 9920) and the focus of the third phased array is thenchanged from the fifth surface orientation back to the fourth surfaceorientation (step 9922).

Referring to FIGS. 100-104, an embodiment of an inspection element 10000is depicted. The example inspection element 10000 is a holder for twoinspection arrays 10002, 10004, and may be provided as a sled mounted ona payload according to embodiments herein, and/or may be provided as apayload mounted to the inspection robot as set forth herein. The exampleinspection element 10000 includes a block substrate 10006 having thearrays 10002, 10004 mounted thereon, and having an acoustic isolationslot 10008 configured to accept an acoustic isolator material, and/orconfigured to provide sufficient acoustic isolation (e.g., operating asan air gap). The example inspection element 10000 further includesmounting locations 10010, for example to allow the inspection element10000 to be mounted to a payload, a pivoting holder, or the like. Theexample of FIGS. 100-104 is similar to the example of FIGS. 105-109,except that the inspection assembly 1000 of FIGS. 105-109 is split foran additional degree of pivoting movement. In the example of FIG. 100,the array 10002 is a linear array capable of providing a direct and/orlinear angled inspection (e.g., utilizing beam steering operations), andthe array 10004 is a lateral array capable of providing lateralinspection at a selected angle. The example inspection element 10000further includes coupling for power, communications, and/or couplantprovision (if applicable). The example of FIG. 101 depicts the exampleinspection holder 10000 from a side perspective with the lateral array10004. The example of FIG. 102 depicts the example holder 10000 from atop perspective, showing the arrays 10002, 10004 and the top of theacoustic isolation slot 10008, which passes all the way through theholder 10000 in the example. The example of FIG. 103 depicts the exampleholder 10000 from a bottom perspective, for example the surface orientedtoward the inspection surface during operations of the inspection robot.The example of FIG. 104 depicts the example holder 10000 from a sideview, with the arrays 10002, 10004 and mounting locations 10010 visible.The example of FIGS. 100-104 is a simple and conveniently fabricated(e.g., molding, casting, additive manufacturing, and/or utilizing simplemachining operations such as single pass drilling, etc.) holderutilizable in various embodiments of the present disclosure, which canreadily be adjusted to accommodate various mounting systems (e.g.,adjusting the size, spacing, and/or other aspects of the mountinglocations 10010), inspection angles, or the like.

Referring to FIGS. 105-109, an embodiment of an inspection element witha split holder is depicted. The example embodiment depicted in FIGS.105-109 provides for improved capability to traverse obstacles, forexample reducing the pulling force required by the inspection robotand/or rastering device to move the payload (and/or sensor sled) overthe obstacle, improving the capability of the arrays 15004, 15018 toremain in proper contact with the inspection surface (e.g., allowinginspection closer to the obstacle than would otherwise be available),reducing the chance of damage to the inspection robot or componentsthereof, and providing for improved obstacle traversal such as thecapability to lift the payload entirely from the inspection surface asrequired. Referring to FIG. 105, an inspection assembly 10000 isdepicted, including a lift element 15034, two sensor holders 15002,15014, two phased UT arrays 15004, 15018, and a sensor holder linkingcomponent 15030. The lift element 15034 may include an attachment point15008 for connecting the lift element 15034 to a robotic device, pivotpoints 15010, 15012, and an arm 15022 which is interacts with the sensorholder linking component 15030. The sensor holder linking component15030 interacts with the two sensor holders 15002, 15014. The exterior(relative to lift element 15034) sensor holder 15002 holds a firstphased UT array 15004 at a first angle. The interior (relative to liftelement 15034) sensor holder 15014 holds a second phased UT array 15018at a second angle. The first angle and the second angle may be the sameor distinct. The sensor holders 15002, 15014 may include one or morecouplant connectors 15024. Both of the sensor holders 15002, 15014 mayinclude a couplant connector 15024 or a single couplant connector mayprovide couplant connector for providing the couplant for the phased UTarrays 15004, 15018. The phased arrays 15004, 15018 may each connect toa data cable 15028 to convey data back to an inspection robot. Incertain embodiments, as seen in FIGS. 111-113, an acoustic isolator ispositioned between the UT sensors on each of the holders 15002, 15014,for example with an acoustic isolator positioned on the diagonal block15002, to reduce cross-talk between the phased arrays 15004, 15018and/or to control sound energy progression within a given block 15002.

Referring to FIG. 106, a side view 10600 of an inspection assembly 10000with a split holder is depicted. As shown, both the sensor holders15002, 15014 are engaged with a flat inspection surface 10602.

Referring to FIG. 107, a side view of an inspection assembly where thesensor holders are raised is depicted. The lift element 15034 hasrotated the arm 15022 around a pivot point 15010, lifting the sensorholders 15002, 15014, and associated phased arrays 15004, 15018, andsensors, above the inspection surface 10702.

Referring to FIG. 108, a side view 10800 of an inspection assembly wherethe sensor holders are engaged with a non-level (e.g., rounded)inspection surface 10802. The sensor holders 15002, 15014 are able toindependently rotate relative to sensor holder linking component 15030.Each sensor holder 15002, 15014 is able to rotate around a correspondingpivot point 15020.

Referring to FIG. 109, a side view of an inspection assembly traversingan obstacle is depicted. The independent movement of the sensor holdersmay allow for measurements of the inspection surface 10902 to be madecloser to an obstacle 10904 over which the inspection element moves. Thesensor holder linking component 15030 is able to rotate relative to thearm 15022 around pivot point 15012. This enables the exterior sensorholder 15002 to contact the inspection surface 10902 while the interiorsensor holder 15014 is still on the obstacle 10904. The ability of theindividual sensor holders 150012, 15014 to rotate relative to the sensorholder linking component 15030 allows the exterior sensor holder 15002to fully engage the inspection surface 10902 while the interior sensorholder 15014 is still on the obstacle 10904. Thus, the first phased UTarray 15004 on the exterior sensor holder 15002 is able to begin tomeasure the inspection surface 10902 while the second phased UT array15018 on the interior sensor holder 15014 is still lifted from theinspection surface 10902 by the obstacle 10904.

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or inwhole through a machine having a computer, computing device, processor,circuit, and/or server that executes computer readable instructions,program codes, instructions, and/or includes hardware configured tofunctionally execute one or more operations of the methods and systemsdisclosed herein. The terms computer, computing device, processor,circuit, and/or server, as utilized herein, should be understoodbroadly.

Any one or more of the terms computer, computing device, processor,circuit, and/or server include a computer of any type, capable to accessinstructions stored in communication thereto such as upon anon-transient computer readable medium, whereupon the computer performsoperations of systems or methods described herein upon executing theinstructions. In certain embodiments, such instructions themselvescomprise a computer, computing device, processor, circuit, and/orserver. Additionally or alternatively, a computer, computing device,processor, circuit, and/or server may be a separate hardware device, oneor more computing resources distributed across hardware devices, and/ormay include such aspects as logical circuits, embedded circuits,sensors, actuators, input and/or output devices, network and/orcommunication resources, memory resources of any type, processingresources of any type, and/or hardware devices configured to beresponsive to determined conditions to functionally execute one or moreoperations of systems and methods herein.

Network and/or communication resources include, without limitation,local area network, wide area network, wireless, internet, or any otherknown communication resources and protocols. Example and non-limitinghardware, computers, computing devices, processors, circuits, and/orservers include, without limitation, a general purpose computer, aserver, an embedded computer, a mobile device, a virtual machine, and/oran emulated version of one or more of these. Example and non-limitinghardware, computers, computing devices, processors, circuits, and/orservers may be physical, logical, or virtual. A computer, computingdevice, processor, circuit, and/or server may be: a distributed resourceincluded as an aspect of several devices; and/or included as aninteroperable set of resources to perform described functions of thecomputer, computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server, such thatthe distributed resources function together to perform the operations ofthe computer, computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server. Incertain embodiments, each computer, computing device, processor,circuit, and/or server may be on separate hardware, and/or one or morehardware devices may include aspects of more than one computer,computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server, for example asseparately executable instructions stored on the hardware device, and/oras logically partitioned aspects of a set of executable instructions,with some aspects of the hardware device comprising a part of a firstcomputer, computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server, and someaspects of the hardware device comprising a part of a second computer,computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server.

A computer, computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server may bepart of a server, client, network infrastructure, mobile computingplatform, stationary computing platform, or other computing platform. Aprocessor may be any kind of computational or processing device capableof executing program instructions, codes, binary instructions and thelike. The processor may be or include a signal processor, digitalprocessor, embedded processor, microprocessor, or any variant such as aco-processor (math co-processor, graphic co-processor, communicationco-processor and the like) and the like that may directly or indirectlyfacilitate execution of program code or program instructions storedthereon. In addition, the processor may enable execution of multipleprograms, threads, and codes. The threads may be executed simultaneouslyto enhance the performance of the processor and to facilitatesimultaneous operations of the application. By way of implementation,methods, program codes, program instructions and the like describedherein may be implemented in one or more threads. The thread may spawnother threads that may have assigned priorities associated with them;the processor may execute these threads based on priority or any otherorder based on instructions provided in the program code. The processormay include memory that stores methods, codes, instructions, andprograms as described herein and elsewhere. The processor may access astorage medium through an interface that may store methods, codes, andinstructions as described herein and elsewhere. The storage mediumassociated with the processor for storing methods, programs, codes,program instructions or other type of instructions capable of beingexecuted by the computing or processing device may include but may notbe limited to one or more of a CD-ROM, DVD, memory, hard disk, flashdrive, RAM, ROM, cache, and the like.

A processor may include one or more cores that may enhance speed andperformance of a multiprocessor. In embodiments, the process may be adual core processor, quad core processors, other chip-levelmultiprocessor and the like that combine two or more independent cores(called a die).

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or inwhole through a machine that executes computer readable instructions ona server, client, firewall, gateway, hub, router, or other such computerand/or networking hardware. The computer readable instructions may beassociated with a server that may include a file server, print server,domain server, internet server, intranet server and other variants suchas secondary server, host server, distributed server, and the like. Theserver may include one or more of memories, processors, computerreadable transitory and/or non-transitory media, storage media, ports(physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable ofaccessing other servers, clients, machines, and devices through a wiredor a wireless medium, and the like. The methods, programs, or codes asdescribed herein and elsewhere may be executed by the server. Inaddition, other devices required for execution of methods as describedin this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructureassociated with the server.

The server may provide an interface to other devices including, withoutlimitation, clients, other servers, printers, database servers, printservers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers, andthe like. Additionally, this coupling and/or connection may facilitateremote execution of instructions across the network. The networking ofsome or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing ofprogram code, instructions, and/or programs at one or more locationswithout deviating from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, all thedevices attached to the server through an interface may include at leastone storage medium capable of storing methods, program code,instructions, and/or programs. A central repository may provide programinstructions to be executed on different devices. In thisimplementation, the remote repository may function as a storage mediumfor methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs.

The methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs may beassociated with a client that may include a file client, print client,domain client, internet client, intranet client and other variants suchas secondary client, host client, distributed client, and the like. Theclient may include one or more of memories, processors, computerreadable transitory and/or non-transitory media, storage media, ports(physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable ofaccessing other clients, servers, machines, and devices through a wiredor a wireless medium, and the like. The methods, program code,instructions, and/or programs as described herein and elsewhere may beexecuted by the client. In addition, other devices utilized forexecution of methods as described in this application may be consideredas a part of the infrastructure associated with the client.

The client may provide an interface to other devices including, withoutlimitation, servers, other clients, printers, database servers, printservers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers, andthe like. Additionally, this coupling and/or connection may facilitateremote execution of methods, program code, instructions, and/or programsacross the network. The networking of some or all of these devices mayfacilitate parallel processing of methods, program code, instructions,and/or programs at one or more locations without deviating from thescope of the disclosure. In addition, all the devices attached to theclient through an interface may include at least one storage mediumcapable of storing methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs.A central repository may provide program instructions to be executed ondifferent devices. In this implementation, the remote repository mayfunction as a storage medium for methods, program code, instructions,and/or programs.

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or inwhole through network infrastructures. The network infrastructure mayinclude elements such as computing devices, servers, routers, hubs,firewalls, clients, personal computers, communication devices, routingdevices and other active and passive devices, modules, and/or componentsas known in the art. The computing and/or non-computing device(s)associated with the network infrastructure may include, apart from othercomponents, a storage medium such as flash memory, buffer, stack, RAM,ROM, and the like. The methods, program code, instructions, and/orprograms described herein and elsewhere may be executed by one or moreof the network infrastructural elements.

The methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs describedherein and elsewhere may be implemented on a cellular network havingmultiple cells. The cellular network may either be frequency divisionmultiple access (FDMA) network or code division multiple access (CDMA)network. The cellular network may include mobile devices, cell sites,base stations, repeaters, antennas, towers, and the like.

The methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs describedherein and elsewhere may be implemented on or through mobile devices.The mobile devices may include navigation devices, cell phones, mobilephones, mobile personal digital assistants, laptops, palmtops, netbooks,pagers, electronic books readers, music players, and the like. Thesemobile devices may include, apart from other components, a storagemedium such as a flash memory, buffer, RAM, ROM and one or morecomputing devices. The computing devices associated with mobile devicesmay be enabled to execute methods, program code, instructions, and/orprograms stored thereon. Alternatively, the mobile devices may beconfigured to execute instructions in collaboration with other devices.The mobile devices may communicate with base stations interfaced withservers and configured to execute methods, program code, instructions,and/or programs. The mobile devices may communicate on a peer to peernetwork, mesh network, or other communications network. The methods,program code, instructions, and/or programs may be stored on the storagemedium associated with the server and executed by a computing deviceembedded within the server. The base station may include a computingdevice and a storage medium. The storage device may store methods,program code, instructions, and/or programs executed by the computingdevices associated with the base station.

The methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs may be storedand/or accessed on machine readable transitory and/or non-transitorymedia that may include: computer components, devices, and recordingmedia that retain digital data used for computing for some interval oftime; semiconductor storage known as random access memory (RAM); massstorage typically for more permanent storage, such as optical discs,forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, tapes, drums, cards and othertypes; processor registers, cache memory, volatile memory, non-volatilememory; optical storage such as CD, DVD; removable media such as flashmemory (e.g., USB sticks or keys), floppy disks, magnetic tape, papertape, punch cards, standalone RAM disks, Zip drives, removable massstorage, off-line, and the like; other computer memory such as dynamicmemory, static memory, read/write storage, mutable storage, read only,random access, sequential access, location addressable, fileaddressable, content addressable, network attached storage, storage areanetwork, bar codes, magnetic ink, and the like.

Certain operations described herein include interpreting, receiving,and/or determining one or more values, parameters, inputs, data, orother information. Operations including interpreting, receiving, and/ordetermining any value parameter, input, data, and/or other informationinclude, without limitation: receiving data via a user input; receivingdata over a network of any type; reading a data value from a memorylocation in communication with the receiving device; utilizing a defaultvalue as a received data value; estimating, calculating, or deriving adata value based on other information available to the receiving device;and/or updating any of these in response to a later received data value.In certain embodiments, a data value may be received by a firstoperation, and later updated by a second operation, as part of thereceiving a data value. For example, when communications are down,intermittent, or interrupted, a first operation to interpret, receive,and/or determine a data value may be performed, and when communicationsare restored an updated operation to interpret, receive, and/ordetermine the data value may be performed.

Certain logical groupings of operations herein, for example methods orprocedures of the current disclosure, are provided to illustrate aspectsof the present disclosure. Operations described herein are schematicallydescribed and/or depicted, and operations may be combined, divided,re-ordered, added, or removed in a manner consistent with the disclosureherein. It is understood that the context of an operational descriptionmay require an ordering for one or more operations, and/or an order forone or more operations may be explicitly disclosed, but the order ofoperations should be understood broadly, where any equivalent groupingof operations to provide an equivalent outcome of operations isspecifically contemplated herein. For example, if a value is used in oneoperational step, the determining of the value may be required beforethat operational step in certain contexts (e.g. where the time delay ofdata for an operation to achieve a certain effect is important), but maynot be required before that operation step in other contexts (e.g. whereusage of the value from a previous execution cycle of the operationswould be sufficient for those purposes). Accordingly, in certainembodiments an order of operations and grouping of operations asdescribed is explicitly contemplated herein, and in certain embodimentsre-ordering, subdivision, and/or different grouping of operations isexplicitly contemplated herein.

The methods and systems described herein may transform physical and/oror intangible items from one state to another. The methods and systemsdescribed herein may also transform data representing physical and/orintangible items from one state to another.

The elements described and depicted herein, including in flow charts,block diagrams, and/or operational descriptions, depict and/or describespecific example arrangements of elements for purposes of illustration.However, the depicted and/or described elements, the functions thereof,and/or arrangements of these, may be implemented on machines, such asthrough computer executable transitory and/or non-transitory mediahaving a processor capable of executing program instructions storedthereon, and/or as logical circuits or hardware arrangements. Examplearrangements of programming instructions include at least: monolithicstructure of instructions; standalone modules of instructions forelements or portions thereof; and/or as modules of instructions thatemploy external routines, code, services, and so forth; and/or anycombination of these, and all such implementations are contemplated tobe within the scope of embodiments of the present disclosure Examples ofsuch machines include, without limitation, personal digital assistants,laptops, personal computers, mobile phones, other handheld computingdevices, medical equipment, wired or wireless communication devices,transducers, chips, calculators, satellites, tablet PCs, electronicbooks, gadgets, electronic devices, devices having artificialintelligence, computing devices, networking equipment, servers, routersand the like. Furthermore, the elements described and/or depictedherein, and/or any other logical components, may be implemented on amachine capable of executing program instructions. Thus, while theforegoing flow charts, block diagrams, and/or operational descriptionsset forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, any arrangementof program instructions implementing these functional aspects arecontemplated herein. Similarly, it will be appreciated that the varioussteps identified and described above may be varied, and that the orderof steps may be adapted to particular applications of the techniquesdisclosed herein. Additionally, any steps or operations may be dividedand/or combined in any manner providing similar functionality to thedescribed operations. All such variations and modifications arecontemplated in the present disclosure. The methods and/or processesdescribed above, and steps thereof, may be implemented in hardware,program code, instructions, and/or programs or any combination ofhardware and methods, program code, instructions, and/or programssuitable for a particular application. Example hardware includes adedicated computing device or specific computing device, a particularaspect or component of a specific computing device, and/or anarrangement of hardware components and/or logical circuits to performone or more of the operations of a method and/or system. The processesmay be implemented in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers,embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors orother programmable device, along with internal and/or external memory.The processes may also, or instead, be embodied in an applicationspecific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, programmablearray logic, or any other device or combination of devices that may beconfigured to process electronic signals. It will further be appreciatedthat one or more of the processes may be realized as a computerexecutable code capable of being executed on a machine readable medium.

The computer executable code may be created using a structuredprogramming language such as C, an object oriented programming languagesuch as C++, or any other high-level or low-level programming language(including assembly languages, hardware description languages, anddatabase programming languages and technologies) that may be stored,compiled or interpreted to run on one of the above devices, as well asheterogeneous combinations of processors, processor architectures, orcombinations of different hardware and computer readable instructions,or any other machine capable of executing program instructions.

Thus, in one aspect, each method described above, and combinationsthereof may be embodied in computer executable code that, when executingon one or more computing devices, performs the steps thereof. In anotheraspect, the methods may be embodied in systems that perform the stepsthereof, and may be distributed across devices in a number of ways, orall of the functionalities may be integrated into a dedicated,standalone device or other hardware. In another aspect, the means forperforming the steps associated with the processes described above mayinclude any of the hardware and/or computer readable instructionsdescribed above. All such permutations and combinations are contemplatedin embodiments of the present disclosure.

What is claimed:
 1. A system, comprising: an inspection robot structuredto move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface, theinspection robot including: a first payload including a first ultrasonic(UT) phased array and a second UT phased array, the first UT phasedarray and second UT phased array being arranged in a first parallelconfiguration; a first rastering device structured to move the firstpayload in a first direction of inspection, the first direction ofinspection being distinct from the direction of travel, and the firstdirection of inspection being distinct from a direction of the firstparallel configuration; a second payload including a third UT phasedarray and a fourth UT phased array arranged in a second parallelconfiguration; and a second rastering device structured to move thesecond payload in a second direction of inspection, the second directionof inspection being distinct from the direction of travel, and thesecond direction of inspection being distinct from a direction of thesecond parallel configuration.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thefirst and second directions of inspection are orthogonal to thedirection of travel and parallel with the inspection surface.
 3. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the first and second directions of inspectionare parallel.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and seconddirections of inspection are mirrored relative to an axis orthogonal tothe direction of travel.
 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising aninspection controller, the inspection controller comprising: apositioning circuit structured to position the inspection robot at aselected inspection position; and an inspection circuit structured toprovide an interrogation command in response to the inspection robotbeing positioned at the selected inspection position, wherein the firstrastering device and the second rastering device are each responsive tothe interrogation command.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein theinspection circuit is further structured to provide the interrogationcommand to implement a synchronous mode inspection.
 7. The system ofclaim 6, wherein the synchronous mode inspection comprises a positioncoordination profile between the first rastering device and the secondrastering device.
 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the synchronous modeinspection comprises a velocity coordination profile between the firstrastering device and the second rastering device.
 9. The system of claim6, wherein the synchronous mode inspection comprises a time basedcoordination of operations of the first rastering device and the secondrastering device.
 10. The system of claim 5, wherein the inspectioncircuit is further structured to provide the interrogation command toimplement an asynchronous mode inspection.
 11. A method for surfaceinspection, the method comprising: positioning an inspection robot at aselected inspection position; and providing an interrogation command inresponse to the inspection robot being positioned at the selectedinspection position.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprisingproviding the interrogation command to implement a synchronous modeinspection.
 13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing theinterrogation command to implement an asynchronous mode inspection. 14.The method of claim 11, further comprising coordinating movement betweena first and second payload.
 15. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising coordinating velocities between a first and second payload.